Students React to the University's Smoking Ban

Chancellor Susan Koch of the University of Illinois Springfield passed a tobacco free campus law in 2015. This ban prohibited students from smoking anywhere on campus with the exception of their vehicles. However, many students reject this ban by smoking in their townhouses and apartments. The university also takes note of the growing population of marijuana smokers.

Students who reside with weed smokers feel that the ban hasn’t made any real difference, in fact smokers find new ways to engage and cover up their habit.

Senior Duane Willingham II lives in the on-campus apartments and feels as though the smoking ban hasn't had much impact on the campus. Duane remarks, "I don’t think the ban has been as effective because there’s really no one enforcing the ban. Almost everyday I see someone smoking in their car still even walking on campus while smoking. So unless we have that reinforcement of the policy I don’t ever think it will be effective."

Many students protest the ban by continuing to smoke weed in their houses. Weed by itself is illegal in the state of Illinois, however its extremely popular on college campuses. Students feel that smoking marijuana is only recreational and it is a stress reliever from the college environment.  Since marijuana is legal in other states and is often used for medicinal purposes, students should be allowed to engage in the habit.