Mizzou's PASS Tries to Push it's Plan to Ban on Campus

By: Nick Guillory
Soon MU Students waiting for the bus, walking to class, in speakers circle, or outside of Arts and Science may have to find a different place to light up [their cigarettes]. PASS (Peers Against Second-hand Smoke), an organization on campus is working toward making Mizzou smoke-free for its students.

Rachel Anderson, former President and creator of PASS and current MSA President, “When I came in to office, the committee that Vice Chancellor Jones had put together was kind of finishing their report. They conducted their own survey and conducted a lot of forums with students and were going to present a plan to the chancellor. Right now, it’s my understanding that that plan’s been submitted but we really haven’t still seen anything that’s come of that…umm, right now we still have two conflicting policies one in the M-Book and one in the business policy. Those policies need to be clarified, so students know what the policy is on campus and also so that staff and faculty know,” said Rachel Anderson.

Last year, the committee held forums that allowed students to voice their opinion on the smoking policy on campus. Anderson said most students who showed up were in favor for the smoking ban. And some smokers that we spoke to, didn’t seem to have a problem with it either.

“I could see why people would go for [a smoking ban on campus] but a lot of people here smoke, I don’t think people would be very happy,” Anna, a student at the University said.

But, when asked if she would be okay with designated smoking areas Anna agreed and said that wouldn’t be a big deal.

Across the nation, Universities are taking steps to become smoke free campuses. The Americans for Nonsmokers Rights Foundation released a list of schools that will be smoke-free as of October 1. The list includes Des Moines University, Minnesota State University, the University of Minnesota and University of California at San Francisco.

Tiffany Bowman, a health promotion coordinator at Mizzou has heard about the recent smoke free campus trend. She thought the plans across the country at other schools were successful.

“I hear very good things and Oklahoma State is relatively new, as well as Arkansas but I hear really good things,” Bowman said.

She also said that students were very supportive, as well as the administrators. It was hardly contested because students were so accepting instead of phasing it in, the university just went ahead and started it right away.

She claimed that 60% of students at MU want a smoke free campus and 70% wanted designated smoking areas.

PASS is continuing to try and get more support for at least designated smoking areas.