School officials at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, the only tobacco-free campus in Wisconsin, met Nov. 2 to discuss ways to enforce the ban on tobacco products on campus, when currently the only enforcement measure is peer pressure.
Last year, students at UW-Stout approved a referendum to ban tobacco products on the campus, making it the first smoke-free four-year university in Wisconsin. Favorable votes were tallied at 55 percent of the students involved. The ban was planned to begin Sept. 1.
Doug Mell, a spokesperson for UW-Stout, said that this was the largest turnout for student voting ever on the campus.
Mell said the program is truly only voluntary at the moment. If anyone, student or faculty is seen using tobacco products someone just needs to remind them of the program and ask politely for the person to stop.
Mell said he believes the program is going well, but could be improved. He added both students and people who attended the meeting have reacted positively to the program.
However, some UW-Stout students feel the ban is not successful and should be improved if it is to be present.
“It seems like a joke. Like we’re just trying to get our name out there,” said UW-Stout sophomore Kyle Reich.
Reich said he feels he sees more smokers than before, and the program is failing to control tobacco use.
Mell said advertising for the anti-smoking campaign is extremely prevalent on campus, and there are signs all over telling students about it on every door, in parking lots and posters in hallways.
Freshmen are made sure to know about the policy before enrolling at UW-Stout, as the welcome and preview materials include information, as well as reminders from admissions staff, Mell added.
Mell said he hopes student organizations and statements by students can help push the plan further.
“Students speaking to students have a powerful effect,” Mell said.
Mell added some people at the meeting suggested issuing citations as a future solution for violators.
“Other campuses are watching us. We’re breaking new ground here. We have to do this right,” Mell said.
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