Campus may go smoke-free

The possibility of changing UND to a tobacco-free campus is being looked into, according to UND President Charles Kupchella.

The President's Cabinet has been looking into the issue for the past few months, trying to iron out what the ban would cover and how it could be implemented if it were agreed upon.

"It's an ongoing consideration of how are we going to position our campus as a leader in the wellness movement across the country and here as a model in the state," Kupchella said.

The burden of tobacco use, primarily cigarettes, among the students and staff on campus needs to be discussed, Kupchella believes. Rapidly rising health care costs for employees who smoke, covered by the university, are said to be posing problems to the budget.

Smoking bans were implemented at Bismarck State College on Jan. 1 and Minot State University on June 1. Since changing the rules, the colleges have seen an increase in the number of students and faculty who have requested assistance in quitting their smoking habit.

So far, UND has just begun the planning phase to determine how feasible the ban would be.

"Of course, we're looking at all of the ramifications and issues surrounding this," Kupchella said.

University ban history

About 50 schools in the United States have passed similar smoking bans, each for more than just punishing smokers, Kupchella believes.

"It's that we're going to make it part of our social ostracism of smoking that we just declare we don't want people smoking on our campus," he said.

"For their own good as well as our common good."

In addition, he says, more effort would be put into counseling and intervention to attempt to help current smokers quit. It is believed that nearly seven out of every 10 smokers would like to quit, but has not been able to.

"They really would like to, they just can't. They need help to do it," he said.

"It's not just about posting something and saying here's the punishment."

Reports have consistently linked cigarette cessation efforts at being among the most cost effective and practical ways of lowering health insurance premiums across the country.

Unknown factors

There are still some aspects of the potential ban that haven't been figured out. It still hasn't been decided if all tobacco use would be covered, or only cigarette smoking.

University land that is being privately leased, such as the Hilton Garden Inn and the Ralph Engelstad Arena, could possibly be allowed to ignore the rule.

"There's a way that the Chancellor could give an exception to a leased property," Kupchella said.

Private vehicles driven through campus wouldn't be regulated, but state-owned vehicles could possibly ban smoking as well.

Seeking input

Even though the university is researching the ban, that doesn't mean that any certain action will be taken yet, Kupchella said. "All of this is speculation now," he said.

"We're just taking a look at what some of the elements in the policy would be."

Campus forums may be held this year to discuss the issue with students and faculty and get a broader input into the matter. For now, the potential change is being discussed and will progress as it is agreed upon.