A Smoking-Free Campus?

geranamo

Who here would like to see a ban on smoking on campus? The University Hospital across the road has banned smoking on the hospital grounds and has been a great success. Every time I go into the library I see some geezer throwing the fag butt on the ground even though there is a bin for butts right next to him. We need to make life as difficult as possible for smokers.

sammyjo90

There was a thread about this last year
http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057064085/1/#post87092151
(sorry on phone)

Blackpanther95

I think there should be a smoking are, and it shouldn't be right outside the library, bit annoying! Don't mind people smoking near the quad though or out by the kingfisher, its just the library where it looks terrible.

LoonyLovegood

I've no issue with people smoking, but it'd be lovely if they weren't directly beside the doors. At least they've to be outside!

Squeeonline

There was a panel discussion held by the SU over a year ago. I believe it was initiated by the Health promotion office and SU.

One of the biggest problems that came up during the discussion was enforcement. Even the hospital isn't perfect and people do smoke on that campus.

Overall most smokers are fairly considerate. Signs requesting that people not smoke near windows and doors might help.

Assholes are always going to be assholes and little can be done about that. If you work at a windows/door people smoke near, I suggest having some kind of a water pistol at the ready to deter them.

geranamo

Squeeonline wrote: »

There was a panel discussion held by the SU over a year ago. I believe it was initiated by the Health promotion office and SU.

One of the biggest problems that came up during the discussion was enforcement. Even the hospital isn't perfect and people do smoke on that campus.

Overall most smokers are fairly considerate. Signs requesting that people not smoke near windows and doors might help.

Assholes are always going to be assholes and little can be done about that. If you work at a windows/door people smoke near, I suggest having some kind of a water pistol at the ready to deter them.

Enforcement? Have you noticed that we have plenty of security who have nothing else to do but respond to false fire alarms going off in the library. It would be a great laugh to see them getting handed a fine!
Its a mystery how these smokers made it to college given that they were stupid enough to start smoking in the first place.

Squeeonline

geranamo wrote: »

Enforcement?????? Have you noticed that we have plenty of security who have nothing else to do but respond to false fire alarms going off in the library. It would be a great laugh to see them getting handed a fine!
Its a mystery how these smokers made it to college given that they were stupid enough to start smoking in the first place.

Obvious troll is obvious https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oynJcSnLSI4

There are supposed to be litter fines on campus and around the city but they are never enforced either. Unlikely they ever will be.

geranamo

So according to Squeeonline I am now a troll because I have a different opinion. If you look at the poll, you will see that most seem to agree with me.
And next time you might word your sentence better. You mentioned obvious twice.

Lockstep

Squeeonline wrote: »

Obvious troll is obvious https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oynJcSnLSI4

There are supposed to be litter fines on campus and around the city but they are never enforced either. Unlikely they ever will be.

Accusing people of being trolls isn't on. Don't do it again.

Blackpanther95

geranamo wrote: »

Enforcement? Have you noticed that we have plenty of security who have nothing else to do but respond to false fire alarms going off in the library. It would be a great laugh to see them getting handed a fine!
Its a mystery how these smokers made it to college given that they were stupid enough to start smoking in the first place.

Ye but calling smokers stupid isn't fair either. Some started as kids! Nobody calls fat people stupid!

The Lost Sheep

Don't think we should have smoking free campus but as long as theyre not directly at the doors I wont care.

Squeeonline

geranamo wrote: »

So according to Squeeonline I am now a troll because I have a different opinion. If you look at the poll, you will see that most seem to agree with me.
And next time you might word your sentence better. You mentioned obvious twice.

The poll said nothing about smokers being stupid. It's a bad decision, but it's an addiction. Some very intelligent people smoke. It's not always your fault if you started when young. Nicotine is more addictive than heroine, chemically.

Lockstep wrote: »

Accusing people of being trolls isn't on. Don't do it again.

I will if the poster suggests that people who smoke are not deserving of a university education. Should we also ban fat people, or overly fit people for their addiction to exercise? I thought it was such a stupid comment that one could only make it if one were "trolling" rather than contributing to the discussion.

geranamo

Squeeonline wrote: »

The poll said nothing about smokers being stupid. It's a bad decision, but it's an addiction. Some very intelligent people smoke. It's not always your fault if you started when young. Nicotine is more addictive than heroine, chemically.



I will if the poster suggests that people who smoke are not deserving of a university education. Should we also ban fat people, or overly fit people for their addiction to exercise? I thought it was such a stupid comment that one could only make it if one were "trolling" rather than contributing to the discussion.

Ok. I won't use the word stupid. I will be more polite. Lets use the word unintelligent. Even children know that smoking kills. If its not your fault when you started young then who's fault is it? I was offered by those close to me to take a fag but was strong enough to say no. Do you really think that the majority of people disagree with me? The only people that are coming up with excuses are the smokers themselves.
Also obesity can be caused by genes or by taking certain medication. Starting smoking is a choice.

Blackpanther95

geranamo wrote: »

Ok. I won't use the word stupid. I will be more polite. Lets use the word unintelligent. Even children know that smoking kills. If its not your fault when you started young then who's fault is it? I was offered by those close to me to take a fag but was strong enough to say no. Do you really think that the majority of people disagree with me? The only people that are coming up with excuses are the smokers themselves.
Also obesity can be caused by genes or by taking certain medication. Starting smoking is a choice.

No, they're not unintelligent, they just don't always care about living forever. Calling smokers unintelligent is like saying those who self-harm are unintelligent, we both know better! You see, they know it will kill them, but they might not enjoy life so much as to want to live another 50 years. And also if your parents smoke and they're old enough you'll probably smoke too.

geranamo

Blackpanther95 wrote: »

No, they're not unintelligent, they just don't always care about living forever. Calling smokers unintelligent is like saying those who self-harm are unintelligent, we both know better! You see, they know it will kill them, but they might not enjoy life so much as to want to live another 50 years. And also if your parents smoke and they're old enough you'll probably smoke too.

So your telling me that smokers think its possible to live forever. Those that self-harm are suffering from mental illness. If you don't want to live, then that's what the doctors, therapists etc are there for. You don't need to turn to smoking.
Also I would compare mental illness with smoking. By smoking your not just harming yourself, other people are inhaling the smoke.

Blackpanther95

geranamo wrote: »

So your telling me that smokers think its possible to live forever. Those that self-harm are suffering from mental illness. If you don't want to live, then that's what the doctors, therapists etc are there for. You don't need to turn to smoking.
Also I would compare mental illness with smoking. By smoking your not just harming yourself, other people are inhaling the smoke.

No I meant, they don't want to live forever or even long. As I heard some say: "no point dieing healthy"

geranamo

Blackpanther95 wrote: »

No I meant, they don't want to live forever or even long. As I heard some say: "no point dieing healthy"

If someone wants to die young, then they need to get help asap. That is what we call depression. But anyways I think that is a huge assumption to make, stating that most smokers want to die young.

Blackpanther95

geranamo wrote: »

If someone wants to die young, then they need to get help asap. That is what we call depression. But anyways I think that is a huge assumption to make, stating that most smokers want to die young.

No not depressed, I used to. I looked at 50 year olds and they're slow married lifestyle and never wanted to live like that. You know the stereotypical old couple, some youngsters just want to live wild for as long as possible and then not anymore.

geranamo

Blackpanther95 wrote: »

No not depressed, I used to. I looked at 50 year olds and they're slow married lifestyle and never wanted to live like that. You know the stereotypical old couple, some youngsters just want to live wild for as long as possible and then not anymore.

Ok................... But I think we are going off on a tangent. Back to the topic now. Should we make NUIG smoking free? Why not?

Ficheall

I agree, geranamo. If people are stupid enough to start smoking, they shouldn't be in college.
The same goes for people who smoke weed and do other drugs, and I also think we should ban people who drink alcohol and coffee and don't eat healthily.
They should all know better.

Lostman1990

I don't see any issue with smoking on the campus. A non-issue really. I don't like to see people just discarding cigarette butts on the ground but that is a different matter.

geranamo

Ficheall wrote: »

I agree, geranamo. If people are stupid enough to start smoking, they shouldn't be in college.
The same goes for people who smoke weed and do other drugs, and I also think we should ban people who drink alcohol and coffee and don't eat healthily.
They should all know better.

Why have blackpanther95, lonepostman1990 and sqeeonline thanked this comment when They disagreed with me in the first place? Its a strange world.

geranamo

Lostman1990 wrote: »

I don't see any issue with smoking on the campus. A non-issue really. I don't like to see people just discarding cigarette butts on the ground but that is a different matter.

So what should we do about those discarding butts on the ground?

Squeeonline

geranamo wrote: »

So what should we do about those discarding butts on the ground?

Shoot on sight.

For those not caught, DNA test and compare against a screen of known smokers on campus. The cost of which will be recovered with a fine to the smoker.

/s


But yeah it's a problem and it's disgusting. Could we all just stop it please and use the bins?

Squeeonline

geranamo wrote: »

Why have blackpanther95, lonepostman1990 and sqeeonline thanked this comment when They disagreed with me in the first place? Its a strange world.

Your sarcasm detector is broken. Please have it repaired at your earliest convenience at an approved vendor.

geranamo

Squeeonline wrote: »

Your sarcasm detector is broken. Please have it repaired at your earliest convenience at an approved vendor.

You must be still crying because I called people that start smoking unintelligent. You still haven't come up with a reasonable argument other than call people that disagree with you a "troll" as well as making childish comments. Usually that is a sign that you know I am right and that you have lost the debate.

Ficheall

geranamo wrote: »

Why have blackpanther95, lonepostman1990 and sqeeonline thanked this comment when They disagreed with me in the first place? Its a strange world.

It is indeed!

Tell me, geranamo - in this elite new college of ours, where there are no smokers, no drinkers, no drug-takers, no coffee-imbibers, no fatties, and no grammar-jews - how many students do you envision NUIG having?

Eogclouder

The grand irony is his Boards profile lists him as a barman. Happy to sell booze all night to people but fags are evil and for the unintelligent only apparently.

Squeeonline

geranamo wrote: »

You must be still crying because I called people that start smoking unintelligent. You still haven't come up with a reasonable argument other than call people that disagree with you a "troll" as well as making childish comments. Usually that is a sign that you know I am right and that you have lost the debate.

Rather than get into a petty fight...

I know Ficheall, and I know that he was being sarcastic at your expense.

At the SU panel discussion, I heavily advocated the idea of a smoke free campus, like the hospitals. However, like the hospitals it's difficult to enforce and if there is no visible deterrent (punishments etc) people will act with impunity and just ignore the rule.

I don't smoke, but I remember kids having a sneaky one behind a shed in school when way under age. If the law of the country and the school didn't make them stop and think, then no way some unenforceable rule of the university will.

I agree that something should be done about the littering, and people should be discouraged from smoking near doors and windows but if you want to come up with a cheap and effective way of doing that, then by all means, propose it to the SU and the Health promotion office.

Eogclouder

Squeeonline wrote: »

Rather than get into a petty fight...

I know Ficheall, and I know that he was being sarcastic at your expense.

At the SU panel discussion, I heavily advocated the idea of a smoke free campus, like the hospitals. However, like the hospitals it's difficult to enforce and if there is no visible deterrent (punishments etc) people will act with impunity and just ignore the rule.

I don't smoke, but I remember kids having a sneaky one behind a shed in school when way under age. If the law of the country and the school didn't make them stop and think, then no way some unenforceable rule of the university will.

I agree that something should be done about the littering, and people should be discouraged from smoking near doors and windows but if you want to come up with a cheap and effective way of doing that, then by all means, propose it to the SU and the Health promotion office.

I think there needs to be a clear line or a limit on this aswell thought. They're adults, if they want to smoke, let them smoke. As long as they're not littering and harming anyone else.

geranamo

Eogclouder wrote: »

The grand irony is his Boards profile lists him as a barman. Happy to sell booze all night to people but fags are evil and for the unintelligent only apparently.

The difference between smoking and drinking alcohol is that the smokers are smoking every day. I don't know many students that drink alcohol every single day. Smoking causes a lot more damage. If you have a roommate that smokes, I'm sure its not nice having an apartment that stinks of smoke.
Anyways what brought you onto my profile. The big problem with setting up a thread on boards.ie is that people usually divert attention onto the OP. As I said to Sqeeonline already, that is a sign that people can't defend themselves. And so far only one person has made an effort to deny that smokers are unintelligent, but a poor effort. But I respect him for trying instead of coming up with sarcastic comments that are supposed to make us lol.

geranamo

Eogclouder wrote: »

I think there needs to be a clear line or a limit on this aswell thought. They're adults, if they want to smoke, let them smoke. As long as they're not littering and harming anyone else.

But many of them are littering.

Eogclouder

geranamo wrote: »

The difference between smoking and drinking alcohol is that the smokers are smoking every day.
I don't know many students that drink alcohol every single day.

Then you don't know many students. You can walk into college bar or any popular pub and find people drinking there, usually it's the same heads. Many students drop out of college due to alcohol. Never going to lectures, always hungover, never motivated. Cans and bottles litter our streets constantly.

geranamo wrote: »

Smoking causes a lot more damage.

You should really research the effects of alcohol. This isn't true.

geranamo wrote: »

If you have a roommate that smokes, I'm sure its not nice having an apartment that stinks of smoke.

Don't really see how this relates to the college in any shape or form.

geranamo wrote: »

Anyways what brought you onto my profile. The big problem with setting up a thread on boards.ie is that people usually divert attention onto the OP. As I said to Sqeeonline already, that is a sign that people can't defend themselves. And so far only one person has made an effort to deny that smokers are unintelligent, but a poor effort. But I respect him for trying instead of coming up with sarcastic comments that are supposed to make us lol.

You spend your time working in an establishment where you're paid to serve a substance that's a nervous system depressant, causes cancer and is chemically addictive. While at work you're watching people drink it en masse and probably joining in every now and then yourself when the mood strikes you or you're not working.

Even though you are in this environment interacting with people knocking back what's essentially poison, you don't bat an eye-lid. Yet if someone lights up a fag, they're immediately judged by you as being "unintelligent". This is hypocrisy and a double standard.

You can only view smokers as "unintelligent" for their decision to continue smoking, if you also view every other unhealthy and poor choice anyone else makes (including you) as equally as unintelligent in those choices, otherwise you don't really have a leg to stand on.

The sarcastic comments in this thread are laughing at the fact that you don't even realize your own hypocrisy and double standard, while they whiz past your head.

Eogclouder

Mr. Talk wrote: »

As I said there is nothing wrong with occasionally having a drink as long as it not everyday. And who said that I drink? And I don't work in a bar. I just wrote that. Do really think I would give every single detail about myself? What other unhealthy decisions could I have made? Once again the tread is all about the op instead of the real topic. Waste of time.

You seem to be logged into the wrong account :pac:

geranamo

Eogclouder wrote: »

You seem to be logged into the wrong account :pac:

Some bully is setting up an account and then deleting it, trying to portray me as some idiot. Cut it out now. If some of you continue with the comical comments while making fun of me, then I am just going to request that this thread be deleted.
So for the last time I will ask the question : Should we ban smoking on campus?

geranamo

Ficheall wrote: »

It is indeed!

Tell me, geranamo - in this elite new college of ours, where there are no smokers, no drinkers, no drug-takers, no coffee-imbibers, no fatties, and no grammar-jews - how many students do you envision NUIG having?

I never said we don't have any of those people. I just asked a simple question; should be ban smoking on the nuig campus. There is no need to get dramatic.

geranamo

I am a medical student and I am frequently around the hospital. I speak to the staff there and they say the ban has been a great success. We do have security, but they tend do drive around a lot instead of doing foot patrols.

Squeeonline

Do people believe me now when I accused Geranamo of being a troll? Either a troll (a successful one mind), or an idiot.

geranamo wrote:

I speak to the staff there and they say the ban has been a great success.

How scientific of you.

I've spoken to people who work in the hospital too who know of rooms/areas that staff and patients occasionally smoke.

Don't get me wrong, I would love a smoking ban everywhere, but it's just not feasible in all cases. We've banned it from inside buildings, the next incremental step would be banning it from near doors/windows etc.

Maybe create specific smoking shelters for people to hide from the wind/rain that a levy on cigarettes on campus pays for. I wish I had the figures for the numbers of smokers who quit because of the smoking ban and being forced outside in the cold/wind/rain.

Eogclouder

He's spamming me via private message now asking me to delete the post by the other account I quoted that disappeared. Probably because it's his.

Messages: http://imgur.com/a/NpxEC

Lostman1990

geranamo wrote: »

The difference between smoking and drinking alcohol is that the smokers are smoking every day. I don't know many students that drink alcohol every single day. Smoking causes a lot more damage. If you have a roommate that smokes, I'm sure its not nice having an apartment that stinks of smoke.
Anyways what brought you onto my profile. The big problem with setting up a thread on boards.ie is that people usually divert attention onto the OP. As I said to Sqeeonline already, that is a sign that people can't defend themselves. And so far only one person has made an effort to deny that smokers are unintelligent, but a poor effort. But I respect him for trying instead of coming up with sarcastic comments that are supposed to make us lol.

I'm a non-smoker but I don't have a problem with smoking on campus. So it should not be banned on campus. It is banned in enclosed public places which I do agree with. What is to be gained by banning smoking on campus? If you really want to start a campaign about health on the college campus, I suggest you look into issues of obesity. I attended a conference on obesity in the university last year and it is going to be a huge issue for Western society over the next few years. Drinking, unhealthy food, advertisements of such things. One medical professional and an economists talked about how the food companies nowadays are acting in the same manner as the cigarettes companies did in the 1950's and 1960's. The simple fact that I learned from that conference is that obesity and obesity related illnesses are going to be the major causes of health issues in the following years.
You work as a barman and you say that alcohol is not as big a problem in this country or the university as someone smoking outside the library? Have you asked your friends in the hospital about A&E on any Thursday, Friday or Saturday night in the country. Have you talked to any domestic violence groups about the damage alcohol does to families? Have you talked to any AA groups about the amount of lives destroyed by alcohol in this country. Do you not understand that most year failures in the university have over consumption of alcohol as a main reason. But, you want to crusade about smoking outside a library. Where the majority use the ashtrays. I admit some don't but this is university. Wait until you see the amount of people who can't use the toilet facilities properly.
I know you probably mean well but it is a non-issue. In the scheme of things in university it really is. I wish you well in your crusade in making university life better for students but remember what the real issues students are faced with in university. I'll give you a hint - smoking outside on the campus is a long way down the list.

Lostman1990

Squeeonline wrote: »

Do people believe me now when I accused Geranamo of being a troll? Either a troll (a successful one mind), or an idiot.


How scientific of you.

I've spoken to people who work in the hospital too who know of rooms/areas that staff and patients occasionally smoke.

Don't get me wrong, I would love a smoking ban everywhere, but it's just not feasible in all cases. We've banned it from inside buildings, the next incremental step would be banning it from near doors/windows etc.

Maybe create specific smoking shelters for people to hide from the wind/rain that a levy on cigarettes on campus pays for. I wish I had the figures for the numbers of smokers who quit because of the smoking ban and being forced outside in the cold/wind/rain.

Smoking is unhealthy. But so is eating high fat foods. Why not start levying things like these? Why don't we start just banning all these things? Once the smoke is not harming people who don't smoke,leave it be is my stance. The main reasons people give up smoking are through proper education at a young age, bans on advertisements aimed at young people, and health reasons. Taxation also helps. The food companies are using exactly all the same tactics that the cigarette companies did but what do we say about it. Nothing. The European Commission even failed to get the food companies to label certain things on certain foods because of the lobbies that the food companies have in Brussels. I hear very little from government, SU's, health professionals, etc about this. It is going to be an epidemic. And what are we worried about? Stopping people from smoking at windows.......

Eogclouder

Lostman1990 is his third account. This is hilarious.

Lostman1990

Eogclouder wrote: »

Lostman1990 is his third account. This is hilarious.

I have actually been arguing against him, lad. And I also had an argument with him on his previous account....

Lostman1990

Eogclouder wrote: »

Lostman1990 is his third account. This is hilarious.

He is also accusing you of setting up an account and then deleting it just to make him look bad. I know for a fact that his first account was set up well before his second account based on the argument I had with him on his first account. So I can back you up on that account.

Ficheall

Lostman1990 wrote: »

I have actually been arguing against him, lad. And I also had an argument with him on his previous account....

He was joking. Since your points were so lucid and well thought out, in contrast to some.

I've been accused of being the idiot Mr talk too.

A brief course in "how to use the internet" should be compulsory for all SU members, if not all students.

leeroybrown

let the smokers smoke but fine them €50 every time they throw a cigarette butt on the ground. They make a horrible mess of the place.

QuantumP

Have designated smoking area's away from main doors that have cigarette bins. Like this

wmirl

That idea sounds too sensible for NUIG to implement it.

leeroybrown

wmirl wrote: »

That idea sounds too sensible for NUIG to implement it.

It would cost money therefore it won't happen.

QuantumP

leeroybrown wrote: »

It would cost money therefore it won't happen.

It wouldn't cost that much. Are NUIG not rolling around in money?

Ficheall

Don't they already have one in front of the Arts Millenium? I don't think it's a bus stop.. I've never seen anyone using it anyway.