After coming close to banning smoking on campus last spring, Smoke Free SLU is returning this academic year with new ways of promoting their cause. ?
Besides planning events such as Smoke Free Night and The Great American Smoke Out,?the organization is also trying to implement classes to help people stop smoking, working toward handing out free nicotine patches for smokers and offering a faculty and staff surveys on smoking.
“We [Smoke Free SLU] are taking baby steps,” said Carly Caminiti, a graduate student and the organization’s adviser.?”Our goal is a smoke free campus.? It is not a matter of if, but when we [SLU] will go smoke free.”
Smoke Free SLU’s mission is to free the campus of smoking and to help educate the public regarding the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.? The organization, which was created and chartered by the Student Government Association last academic year, won the Office of Student Development’s Outstanding New Student Organization Award.? During an SGA election last year, 63 percent of students voted for a smoke-free campus.
In April, former SGA President Andrew Clifton presented the organization’s proposal to the President’s Coordinating Council, a body of upper-level administrators, which makes recommendations on issues of operation and policy to University President Lawrence Biondi, S.J.?
Biondi turned down the proposal, wanting more time and information before coming to a conclusion.
By preparing surveys, the organization hopes to gather more information on how members of the faculty and staff feel about the issue.
Once the information is gathered, it will be sent to the PCC to give them a broader perspective on the University community’s stance on a smoke-free campus.
The organization will soon start regular meetings to plan events for the semester. One of those events is Smoke Free Night Out, which is a night for Smoke Free SLU to visit a smoke-free dinner, bar or restaurant.
The organization is also planning to participate in the Great American Smoke Out.? This event will allow Smoke Free SLU to advocate a smoke-free environment through publicity and activities.?
Last year, turkey sandwiches were handed out at this event in exchange for cigarette packs in order to encourage smokers to quit “cold turkey.”
In upcoming meetings members will be discussing more details on a free class that will teach smokers helpful ways to stop smoking. Smoke Free SLU is also planning to assist smokers who want to quit by pushing for the availability of free nicotine patches on campus.
“This would provide major assistance for people attempting to stop smoking,” Caminiti said.?
But not every smoker on campus is willing to change.
“I wouldn’t like [a smoke-free campus].? Keep it the way it is,” sophomore Colleen Murphy said.?
Some new students have noticed secondhand smoke floating around, however, and are already feeling passionate about the issue.
“Smoking enrages me because it is their choice to smoke and I don’t want to feel the consequences of their actions in secondhand smoke,” freshman Brett DeLaria said.
