ISU will begin campus-wide smoking ban

Idaho State University will soon be smoke free. Anyone who wants to light up will have to walk off campus.

The smoking ban comes after the results of a survey of students, staff and faculty where about 60 percent said they were in favor of the campus going smoke free.

Under the new policy, starting September 1 students and staff will have go off campus before they can light up a cigarette. All in effort to keep the air clean.

“Secondhand smoke is a major problem, and there’s no level of secondhand smoke that any study has shown is ‘acceptable,'” ISU Marketing and Communications Director Mark Levine said.

Many students looked forward to not having to see or smell secondhand smoke on their way to classes.

“I think it’s a really good thing, because I don’t smoke and I hate to smell it. I think it’s just public safety I think,” ISU student Marcus Valero said.

But not every one is fully behind the new plan. Some said not leaving anywhere on campus for smokers, might be going a little too far.

“Maybe it is a little extreme. People quit smoking, they might get a little agitated going to classes and not able to get a cigarette,” ISU student Jeremiah Frangesh said.

The university said part of this new smoking ban plan is help for people to stop smoking. Smoking cessation workshops will be available through Student Health Services and the Wellness Center.