Reader Email - Massachusetts State Schools Are Banning Tobacco On Campus

Reader Email

Yo Pres,

Wouldn’t be surprised if you’re already getting a lot of people sending you this, but just got this email from the UMass Chancellor:

UMASS Email

 As you probably know, acting on the recommendation of the Faculty Senate, the University of Massachusetts Amherst has adopted a policy prohibiting tobacco use on campus beginning July 1, 2013. In doing so, the campus joins more than 700 colleges and universities around the country that have taken this step in order to protect the health of members of the campus community. As the Faculty Senate said in recommending this step, as a public institution of higher education, UMass Amherst has an obligation to promote a healthful environment for its students, employees, and visitors. Recognizing that tobacco use compromises the health and well-being of the entire campus community, the campus administration adopted this policy and appointed an implementation committee, whose charge includes developing programs to help educate the campus community about the dangers of tobacco use and resources to support students and employees in their efforts to adapt to the new policy.

The policy is as follows:

“The University of Massachusetts Amherst shall prohibit tobacco use starting July 1, 2013. For the purpose of this policy, ‘tobacco’ refers to any and all tobacco products, whether inhaled or ingested, as well as electronic cigarettes. The use of tobacco products shall be prohibited everywhere on campus, inside buildings and throughout the grounds. This policy applies to everyone and anyone on campus, including students, staff, faculty, contractors, and visitors.”

We’ve gotten a few emails about this. Kids from UMass and Fitchburg State (the kid called Fitchburg State FSU which is absolutely insane, by the way). To be honest I don’t understand it at all. The campuses are still in America, right? And they’re still public universities that are publicly funded? Ok. Then how do you lay claim to the air? More importantly, how do you tell the 18+ year old adult sitting in his dorm that he’s not allowed to dip? Who’s he hurting? It literally affects no one. If I was a student looking for college this would actually make me cross UMass off my list. Seriously. If you can’t dip when you’re in class or studying or just farting around the dorm then what do you even do?