Students Adjust To Smoking Prohibition

One school’s smoking prohibition is creating a litter problem in another segment of the community. Oklahoma City University is the first college in the state to entire ban smoking earlier this year. Since then, students at the school who smoke have crossed the street to light up at a city-owned bus stop.

Kristyn Chalker, a sophomore said: “All of a sudden, you can’t smoke anywhere. I’m not really a smoker, but I just feel like it’s kind of unfair to a lot of the people. A lot of the times, they just go right across the street to where the campus ends.” Shayna Vercillo, a junior, said: “It’s caused quite uproar. I do think, as a campus, we’re trying to be more health-conscious. You just have to really make an effort to stop.” The prohibition has left the school clean and clear and free from smoke. But it’s a different story on the edge of campus as students light up as soon as they leave the grounds.

Logan O’Reilly, a freshman, said: “You have to walk across the street and you have to make sure that you’re off campus or the cops will find you.”

Students who smoke at the bus stop are leaving a mess of cigarette butts behind. Students are sure that it should be the city’s responsibility to provide a trash can.

Chief Lyndel Harris, of the Oklahoma City University Police Department, said: “We’ve had a few problems and a few violators, but nothing real serious.”

Oklahoma City University’s Edmond campus and the University of Oklahoma in Norman don’t have a tobacco policy. Students can smoke 25 feet from buildings. Oklahoma State University in Stillwater has a complete tobacco prohibition, meaning students can’t smoke anywhere on campus.