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In September, the University of Maine will announce its plan to become a tobacco-free campus. According to Sue Bernier, a representative from the Tobacco-Free Campus Committee, it could take up to 12 months to fully implement the plan. The administration and faculty senate approved the new program, which will prohibit any kind of tobacco product on the UMaine campus, including chewing tobacco.
Current regulations state that smoking is not allowed inside any university vehicle or building, including resident halls. Smoking is also prohibited within 20 feet of building entrances. The lax enforcement of these rules leaves open the question of how the new tobacco-free ban will be implemented.
There are currently no plans of enforcement or penalties for future offenders of the ban.
While students’ input and opinions were gathered, the fact that this plan is being implemented shows that they have not been given serious consideration.
Despite the potential benefits or detriments to the UMaine community as a whole, students have a right to partake in any decision making that regulates what they can or cannot do at their own university. In November, the student senate opposed the ban, yet they were not included in the decision-making process.
With apparent opposition and support for the new ban from all sides, an open forum and equal input of all should be a necessity before any decisions affecting the entire university community are made – perhaps ways to implement a possible ban could be discussed as well.
