LBCC is looking to regulate and relocate designated smoking areas on both campuses by 2019.
The Associated Student Body has been trying to steer away from the everyday event planning of student activities and be more involved with the student body by conducting surveys on what should and or can be changed on campus and the majority of students’ views were alike.
ASB Rep. of Students Jocelyn Reyes said, “About 300 students were surveyed and the majority want the smoke zones relocated, specifically the D Building,” at the LAC near the Food Court and the east side of the A Building.
The need for regulation of smoking zones is due to the fact that “these areas are located near main walkways. It gets in the way of students who have health issues and sets a bad example for young students on field trips as well as potentially harming the trees where students leave their excessive cigarette butts,” Reyes said.
The change was proposed originally in 2009 and will officially be presented to the Student Senate for LBCC to vote on the issue in the upcoming year as well as be brought up to the Board of Trustees.
When informed of LBCC plans to relocate and regulate the smoking sections, smoking students were caught off guard and upset. Brittany Truxton, 27, a health Science, 27, exclaimed, “The smoking section was here before the cafeteria was even in earshot of the smoking section. Even so, moving it would cause more of an inconvenience for us because it’s easily accessible and centrally located to reach the crosswalk” as well as being convenient for the student body. Truxton said she met her husband in the LBCC smoking section: It’s not just a place for us to smoke and be a nuisance. You meet a lot of great people here and it becomes a very social and interactive experience.”
Although cigarette smoking is the norm, with today’s modern tech society and the student body also having to consider vaping, kinesiology major Genevieve Engeran, 25, said, “Vaping doesn’t actually harm others, so it should be allowed around campus. I’ve been warned about a citation for even vaping on my way to a smoking section. If they get rid of the smoking sections, we’re still going to smoke. That/s not going to change, but it will probably cause more of a hazard because of the trash. It would be nice if they could build an indoor smoking section, but I doubt it.”
Although the school will be petitioning the change throughout both campuses, Reyes said, “ASB want to assure students and employees that these changes will not mean a removal of these area, but create environment where everyone Is happy.”
