WIT rewards smokers.

stick-dan · 18-02-2008 8:17pm #1

Students of waterford IT were today introduced to new shelter like structures that have been erected around the college today. I counted 3 in total but there may be more. After finding out what the structures were for which is for the smokers to have a dry place to smoke in around the college whenever it may be wet i was disgusted. Since when did a government institution such as Waterford IT support such a vile habit like smoking. I know my opinion here will be met with a massive amount of disapprove but shouldn't Waterford IT be promoting campaigns to stop smoking rather than give the current crop of smokers a dry place to smoke. Seems wrong to me anyway.Any opinions.

Kimbot · 18-02-2008 8:21pm

My opinion.... the government make too much from the taxes in smokes to not care about it. If they didn't then they should ban cigarettes completely. At the end of the day putting smokers in the rain is a joke and making more people ill which in turn affects more people that they are in contact with.

Sully · 18-02-2008 8:31pm

Its the colleges new Health & Safety plan. They are introducing those units to stop people smoking around the doors of the Gallery, IT Building, Business Building etc. So they gave them these units to smoke in.

Amusing none the less. They look like space shuttles!

stick-dan · 18-02-2008 8:49pm

would a better health and safety plan be to promote anti-smoking, nicorette the likes,etc.

although i do agree with the idea of moving them away from the doors. walking out of the IT building or the business school into a cloud of smoke is not nice at all.

christophicus · 18-02-2008 11:57pm

Lol I can't help it. Every time I saw someone using them today I could not help but feel that someone was waiting for a bus :P . TBH They are not going to be used, unless the collage figures out some way of forcing people ( I have no idea how they would do this ) . Even if they were used, they are WAY too small to facilitate the smokers.

coadyj · 19-02-2008 9:33am

well i think drinking alcohol is also a vial habit, but you dont hear me complaining that the college allowing a "habit" that killed 1,775 people in 2007 and that not even counting road deaths.

We all do something bad, some people are overweight, some people drink till the get plasterd and some people smoke. I would never think a smoker would stop you from drinking, so if its not bothering you why do you care.

like do you mind if we stay dry???

stick-dan · 19-02-2008 11:16am

no i wouldn't acvtually i am by no means a frequent drinker by any means and i think drinking to utter abomonation of ones self is rather disrectful actually. So go ahead start a get dry campaign.:)

jayp · 19-02-2008 11:51am

How is providing designated smoking facilities rewarding smokers. For an institution that employs as many staff as they do (never mind the student numbers) surely it is appropriate to provide such facilities - its not as if they are heated and equipped with wi-fi access.If the units are used correctly the non-smokers will benefit by not having to wade through smoke entering and exiting the buildings.

stick-dan · 19-02-2008 11:59am

jayp wrote: »

How is providing designated smoking facilities rewarding smokers. For an institution that employs as many staff as they do (never mind the student numbers) surely it is appropriate to provide such facilities - its not as if they are heated and equipped with wi-fi access.If the units are used correctly the non-smokers will benefit by not having to wade through smoke entering and exiting the buildings.

Yeah cos they are really going to be used by all the smokers in the college at the one time when they are all between classes. Did you have a look around yesterday like? They weren't being used. People were embarrassed to be seen in them and they were left largely unused. And you really think that the college population will still not smoke at the doors and engulf us in clouds of smoke. There must be smoke in your eyes

jayp · 19-02-2008 12:12pm

Wipes smoke out of my eyes and coughs, as I said

jayp wrote: »

If the units are used correctly

it may alleviate the degree of second hand smoke at the entrances to the buildings. Who knows maybe we will get some sort of smoking police to enforce the six metre rule from windows and doors

stick-dan · 19-02-2008 12:44pm

There is one. There are stickers on the windows and entrance on the atrum side of the business school. It is not being adhered to and certainly is not being enforced.

Sully · 19-02-2008 1:26pm

To be fair Jay, smoking is a rotten habit and something nobody should take up. Its a major killer for direct smokers and those who just inhale it. Hence why its outlawed in a lot of EU Countries in places of work, pubs, restaurants etc. While the college should not move towards a total ban, they need to consider us non-smokers who walk past all the smoke (the gallery is just AWFUL). The college provided little smoking huts for all smokers to go to, fair enough, but they should enforce it properly unlike the smoking ban within X meters of entrances rule which is ignored.

Furthermore, the college is an institute for education. They educate those who drink, and give advise etc. on drinking but nothing for smokers. The Alcohol Awareness week is great, but we need more of Smoking Awareness and educating people.

stick-dan · 19-02-2008 3:16pm

Sully : To be fair Jay, smoking is a rotten habit and something nobody should take up. Its a major killer for direct smokers and those who just inhale it. Hence why its outlawed in a lot of EU Countries in places of work, pubs, restaurants etc. While the college should not move towards a total ban, they need to consider us non-smokers who walk past all the smoke (the gallery is just AWFUL). The college provided little smoking huts for all smokers to go to, fair enough, but they should enforce it properly unlike the smoking ban within X meters of entrances rule which is ignored.

Furthermore, the college is an institute for education. They educate those who drink, and give advise etc. on drinking but nothing for smokers. The Alcohol Awareness week is great, but we need more of Smoking Awareness and educating people.

Here here well said.

maximumleo · 08-03-2008 6:32pm

Sully wrote: »

To be fair Jay, smoking is a rotten habit and something nobody should take up. Its a major killer for direct smokers and those who just inhale it. Hence why its outlawed in a lot of EU Countries in places of work, pubs, restaurants etc. While the college should not move towards a total ban, they need to consider us non-smokers who walk past all the smoke (the gallery is just AWFUL). The college provided little smoking huts for all smokers to go to, fair enough, but they should enforce it properly unlike the smoking ban within X meters of entrances rule which is ignored.

Furthermore, the college is an institute for education. They educate those who drink, and give advise etc. on drinking but nothing for smokers. The Alcohol Awareness week is great, but we need more of Smoking Awareness and educating people.

+1

stick-dan · 12-03-2008 1:30pm

What pray-tell is the point of having the smoking booths or whatever the hell you call them or the fag bins for that matter beside every door/entrance if you god damn smokers don't use them.The ground is not a bin people. The entrance to the business school on the gallery side today was atrocious.

maximumleo · 12-03-2008 6:47pm

It's becoming a major problem alright. It may be time to take action and start a petition or something, or at least have rules that can be enforced on the subject matter. I'm happy with my lungs, and I do not want them blackened just because some inconsiderate individual wants to destroy theirs.

If things are unchanged come the week back, I reckon we should set a motion in order. Being polite is not an option.

garrfunkel · 25-03-2008 10:27pm

Does it really effect non smokers that much that there is people taking up doorways smoking? Is the 3 or 4 seconds it takes to walk past them that much of an inconvenience to you? No one is forcing you to inhale large amounts of smoke.

maximumleo · 26-03-2008 10:09am

The fact of the matter is that it's an impossibility to walk between buildings without inhaling 2nd hand smoke. I don't like the idea of holding my breath while walking as I really should not have to, but it's getting to the stage where this is becoming almost a necessity. I'm not saying folks can't smoke, but I'd appreciate it if I could get some fresh air while walking through doorways as opposed to a blast of lung dust.

stick-dan · 26-03-2008 10:24am

garrfunkel wrote: »

Does it really effect non smokers that much that there is people taking up doorways smoking? Is the 3 or 4 seconds it takes to walk past them that much of an inconvenience to you? No one is forcing you to inhale large amounts of smoke.

Ah here i am sorry now but i really couldn't care if this gets me banned because you my friend with that post and TROLLING. What sort of a question is that?

Fair enough i respect the right to your opinion but you are totally being a biased party here and supporting your smoking buddies and perhaps yourself, Don't know you so can't comment... To be fair have you ever seen the place that is Waterford Institute of Technology through the vision that is a non-smokers eyes,.. Seems to me you need to wipe the smoke out of your eyes:rolleyes:

Class to Class everyday for 9 months of the year that we are in college we are engulfed by smoke. Lets take this point of view for a second and leave the non-smokers arguement aside for a minute and look at this objectively. Smokers in the college during the duration of the year complained and complained, whined and moaned that when it was raining they had no-where to stand and smoke, which i agree is a valid argument even though i find smoking to be a repulsive habit but everyone has their rights and this is every bit as much of a right of shelter to smokers don't get me wrong on that matter. The matter at hand here is that these "Sheds" were constructed to keep you guys happy and yet you all refuse to use them, I'm sorry but smokers are being hypocrites if they don't want to be seen in them seeing as they requested them then that my friend is the biggest load of b****x ever!!!

Now with regard to that suspect statement,

Does it really effect non smokers that much that there is people taking up doorways smoking? Is the 3 or 4 seconds it takes to walk past them that much of an inconvenience to you? No one is forcing you to inhale large amounts of smoke.

Yeah actually it does, sorry if i am being awkward to your needs here if you are indeed a smoker or in general any smokers in the college but i like my lungs smoke free and my air clear. There is if you(smokers) would all bother
to observe stickers on the doors that clearly state that smokers must observe the minimum 6mtr rule with regard to smoking at entrances. Have you forgotten the reason the smoking ban was brought in in the first place, might have been something to do with the fact that the government wanted to protect the non-smoking population against a habit that they wish to be no part of. Why should we inhale second hand smoke every time we just want to exit a building? Why should we still be the ones living with it? We choose not to smoke in any way, shape or form and to make such a suggestion that noone forces us to inhale smoke is idiotic, sorry but it is. SO what do you propose for use to do???

1. Walk in and exit building whilst holding our breathe?

2. Oh if you say we dont have to inhale, should we all wear like stupid respritory masks when entering and exiting?

3. Oh no i know, it's so simple now, we'll build a separate entrance and exit for the non-smokers, I should have guessed thats what you meant:rolleyes:

Next time think about it yeah...

Sully · 26-03-2008 1:33pm

garrfunkel wrote: »

Does it really effect non smokers that much that there is people taking up doorways smoking? Is the 3 or 4 seconds it takes to walk past them that much of an inconvenience to you? No one is forcing you to inhale large amounts of smoke.

Yes actually it does. I assume your a smoker, as 99.9% (in my opinion) of non-smokers would agree that walking past 20 odd people who are all smoking in a cofined area is horrible. You walk straight into a pile of smoke - and you expect us not to breathe? Honestly lad, are you for real?!

Smoking in confined areas is against the law for a reason. Smokers have been given a smoking area away from doors and confined areas and yet they dont want to use it. Thats, simply putting it, ignorance.

Smoking is bad for your health and is basically a slow sucide. Non smokers see this and prefer not to smoke for their health. Inhaling 3rd party smoke is bad for your health. We dont want to have to bow before smokers and bypass main doors and go alternative routes because smokers want to get together and smoke away outside the main doors - ignoring their assigned smoking spots. We dont want to have to hold our breath and run past all the smokers. We dont want to get sick by constantly inhaling 3rd party smoke and we certinally dont want our clothes which we spent money on destroyed with the smell of smoke.

Smokers should have some cop on, and just move out of confined areas which non-smokers use (as they are main doors for everyone, not just smokers) to walk through. They should move away into the open into their smoking spots. Why not? You still get to smoke in a sheltered area, and puff smoke in each others faces and us non-smokers get to live longer and not have to walk through a cloud of rotten smoke, hold our breath or prepare to run through it like its going to burn our skin if we stay in it long.

What next, are you going to suggest we invest in chemical suits? You know the big white ones used in labs dealing with dangerous chemicals? The oxygen tank secured on the back so we can stroll out into the lads all puffing away killing themselves slowly (oh and, making there teeth turn from white into brown - looks gorgeous girls!) safely?

No, I dont think we should. Smokers should get real and respect others around them and move into their designated smoking areas. You have been rewarded for smoking, and we have been given the grace of walking outside without being consumed with a lot of smoke like there has been another big fire like U Decor on Thomas Street. Plus, our clothes stay nice and fresh and we dont have to put ourselves at risk by inhaling toxic chemicals which kill us slowly.

Thanks, and good night.

stick-dan wrote: »

Ah here i am sorry now but i really couldn't care if this gets me banned because you my friend with that post and TROLLING. What sort of a question is that?

Take note: Give a proper answer without getting thick or calling someone a troll next time. He brought a point, even if you disagree. Bare in mind the same thing happened with you already when you were called a troll for expressing your opinion and you didnt like it. Report the post if you dont like it.

Attack the post, not the poster.

stick-dan · 26-03-2008 3:20pm

noted, apologies to garfunkle but that is ignorance...

garrfunkel · 26-03-2008 5:14pm

stick-dan wrote: »

Lets take this point of view for a second and leave the non-smokers arguement aside for a minute and look at this objectively. Smokers in the college during the duration of the year complained and complained, whined and moaned that when it was raining they had no-where to stand and smoke, which i agree is a valid argument even though i find smoking to be a repulsive habit but everyone has their rights and this is every bit as much of a right of shelter to smokers don't get me wrong on that matter. The matter at hand here is that these "Sheds" were constructed to keep you guys happy and yet you all refuse to use them, I'm sorry but smokers are being hypocrites if they don't want to be seen in them seeing as they requested them then that my friend is the biggest load of b****x ever!!!

Wasnt aware of much whining to be honest. As far as I was concerned most smokers were more than happy with the area outside the gallery for smoking. It was sheltered from the wind and from the rain. Nearly perfect. As far as I could see the only problem with this as a smoking area was the amount of people walking past who were unhappy about the amount of smoke. Therefore shelters got put up. This was a great idea. Sadly whoever decided to get these shelters seemed to have underestimated the amount of smokers in the college. Between all of the shelters (4 or 5 I think) about 30 smokers can fit in them. Problem is that theres alot more smokers than that. Unless we use some form of shrink-ray not everyone can fit in them. So what do they do? Stand in the nearest sheltered spot. Most likely the gallery doorway.

There is nowhere else to smoke if its raining. I know its an inconvenience for non-smokers but its just as much of an inconvenience for us. I know we could quite smoking but thats sadly easier said than done. I wish there was a good solution to all this that would keep both parties happy but sadly short of bubbles for one part or the other I cant think of one.
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Sully · 26-03-2008 5:20pm

garrfunkel wrote: »

Wasnt aware of much whining to be honest. As far as I was concerned most smokers were more than happy with the area outside the gallery for smoking. It was sheltered from the wind and from the rain. Nearly perfect. As far as I could see the only problem with this as a smoking area was the amount of people walking past who were unhappy about the amount of smoke. Therefore shelters got put up. This was a great idea. Sadly whoever decided to get these shelters seemed to have underestimated the amount of smokers in the college. Between all of the shelters (4 or 5 I think) about 30 smokers can fit in them. Problem is that theres alot more smokers than that. Unless we use some form of shrink-ray not everyone can fit in them. So what do they do? Stand in the nearest sheltered spot. Most likely the gallery doorway.

Well we all know the college like to make a balls of things

The thing is, I don't see many people using it. They all stand outside the gallery door. The business building door isn't to bad as there mostly over by the seats or away from the door anyway.

There is nowhere else to smoke if its raining. I know its an inconvenience for non-smokers but its just as much of an inconvenience for us. I know we could quite smoking but thats sadly easier said than done. I wish there was a good solution to all this that would keep both parties happy but sadly short of bubbles for one part or the other I cant think of one.
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Its outside the Gallery that affects us non smokers the worst. There is plenty of shelter the length of the gallery building, you don't have to cram around the doorway! Move out a bit, and it wont be half as bad.

The college awarded smokers with shelters and have not bothered to enforce it. It seems they care more about smokers who want to die younger then people who don't smoke and care about their health!

stick-dan · 26-03-2008 7:51pm

garrfunkel wrote: »

Wasnt aware of much whining to be honest. As far as I was concerned most smokers were more than happy with the area outside the gallery for smoking. It was sheltered from the wind and from the rain. Nearly perfect. As far as I could see the only problem with this as a smoking area was the amount of people walking past who were unhappy about the amount of smoke. Therefore shelters got put up. This was a great idea. Sadly whoever decided to get these shelters seemed to have underestimated the amount of smokers in the college. Between all of the shelters (4 or 5 I think) about 30 smokers can fit in them. Problem is that theres alot more smokers than that. Unless we use some form of shrink-ray not everyone can fit in them. So what do they do? Stand in the nearest sheltered spot. Most likely the gallery doorway.

There is nowhere else to smoke if its raining. I know its an inconvenience for non-smokers but its just as much of an inconvenience for us. I know we could quite smoking but thats sadly easier said than done. I wish there was a good solution to all this that would keep both parties happy but sadly short of bubbles for one part or the other I cant think of one.
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Point taken there was a c**k up on the behalf of the college with regard to the cumulative capacity of the shelters when it comes to the smokers in the college. This is by no means a massive mess up on the college's behalf as we all know by this stage that the shelters have been there at least a month now, more if i recollect correctly but in the time they are there and with the large smoking population that you have stated the college has they have been severely underutilised by the smoking population. They would be lucky to have been used 500 times some of them.

One thing i think maybe might but probably wouldn't make a difference is if the college moved the damn smoking bins and fag butt containers away from the gallery porch. They are actively inviting smokers to stand there with them bins where they are and in my opinion they should be moved to a different location.

I think it needs to be pointed out that it is NOT on rainy days alone that there are congregations at these entrances. It is on a daily basis, whether it be hail, slete, snow or 24 degrees outside everyone seems to gather round, smoke and chat at these entrances and exits.

It is by no means just the students of the college who smoke that should be targeted. It is noticable on a daily basis some of the college's faculty smoking at entrances to the buildings. If something is to be done, no-one should be exempt.

Also as said in this thread the gallery seems to be a problem spot and the main problem spot at that. I would agree with that but also add the library to be equally problematic. Whatever about the gallery and standing in for shelter the whole front of the library is sheltered and there is no need to stand like 50cm from the rotating door.For christ sake they even put benches there for you people, come on like.

WIT rewards smokers.

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