USU Smoking Ban

Metta Ray
Students Speak on Smoking Ban

LOGAN, Utah—It has been a whisper around the campus of Utah State University for awhile now. The proposal to ban smoking on campus has been a debate of health versus personal choice and is being considered seriously by USU.
When asking students their opinion on the issue, there are good points on both sides.
Sarah Price, a junior and a sociology and gender area certificate major said “When you take away choice, you take away freedom.” “What are they going to do make people have punch cards to allow how much soda they consume? Drinking soda leads to obesity and obesity leads to heart disease and kidney failure, isn’t that a health concern?” “People go to the TSC patio to smoke because it is covered. If there were designated, covered smoking areas people would go to them. But it rains and it snows and I am not some dog you can shove out into the rain because you don’t like what I’m doing.”
Tasia Hatch, an undeclared sophomore, said “I think it’s ridiculous. If other students don’t want to smell it, don’t go by it. Maybe there should be a designated smoking area.”
Travis Jensen, an undeclared sophomore and non-smoker said “I don’t care if people choose to smoke; I just don’t want to smell it. I’m sure that since it’s in open air the second-hand smoke isn’t going to kill anyone, but I wish there was somewhere else they could go.”
Another student and non-smoker said “It doesn’t really bother me, I know people smoke, but I don’t take much notice.”
Whether designated smoking areas will be built is still undecided, but it would seem that when it comes to student opinion, there is not enough reason to change anything.