Recently, the Vice Provost for Student Affairs, Kevin Schollenberger, has formed a committee to examine the University’s smoking policies on campus. The committee is exploring the possibilities of transitioning to a smoke-free campus or creating designated outdoor smoking areas.
Given the University’s reputation for medicine and public health, it seems ironic that Hopkins allows students to smoke freely on campus. While secondhand smoke is a crucial public health concern, the Editorial Board recognizes the importance of personal freedoms, including the choice to smoke. The decision on whether to transition to a smoke-free campus lies with the balance between the right to smoke and the right to not be exposed to secondhand smoke.
We believe that this balance is best struck with the implementation of designated smoking areas. This allows for students to exercise their right to smoke in a way that does not harm others while simultaneously not subjecting the rest of the population to damaging secondhand smoke. Although the current University policy mandates that smokers stay at least 25 feet from certain buildings, this is neither adequately enforced nor a satisfactory solution. Students inevitably remain exposed to secondhand smoke because they are unable to entirely avoid smokers in their daily routes. A prime example of this issue is the lower entrance to Brody Learning Commons, an area of high student congestion where many smoke freely, ignoring the policy.
To remedy this, the Editorial Board supports the idea of outdoor designated smoking areas. We propose that these areas be located on campus, so that they are convenient for students living in residence halls but far away from areas of high student traffic. The balconied areas lining either side of Gilman Hall are clear suggested possibilities.
As the University continues to explore options regarding the campus smoking policies, the Editorial Board hopes the committee weighs the values of personal freedoms against those of public health and considers strongly the value of defined smoking areas.
