Mid Michigan Community College ready to go smoke-free Aug. 6
Discarded cigarette butts and the smell of cigarette smoke will be a thing of the past for all three of Mid Michigan Community College’s campuses as a new smoke and tobacco-free policy goes into effect Aug. 6.
The new policy prohibits all students, staff and visitors from smoking anywhere on campus, with the exception of inside their vehicles.
Central Michigan University student Mohammed Alkhlaifi, a Saudi Arabia freshman who is taking summer courses at MMCC, is a smoker, but he said the new policy will be beneficial for MMCC.
“I think it’s a good idea that will keep the environment clean,” he said.
Alkhlaifi said he thinks the new policy will benefit everyone's health on campus and could even help smokers to quit. He said it would be beneficial for CMU to enact similar policies, while adding that he would be upset by new restrictions on his smoking.
“At first people will get upset, (and) to stop the habit, (MMCC will) have to let (smokers) know why they are doing this, and how it is going to help,” Alkhlaifi said. “And hopefully people will understand and follow the rules.”
CMU’s current smoking policy states that smoking is not permitted within 25 feet or inside any university building, with the exception of some university apartments.
Director of Marketing and Admissions Jessie Gordon said MMCC is working to inform students and staff of the new policy and have not decided on any specific consequences for breaking the new rules yet.
"(MMCC) is not planning on formalizing a plan to fine or suspend students for non-compliance of this policy at this time," Gordon said. "We are actively working on communicating the policy change and requesting everyone’s support for moving in this direction."
Gordon also said that while MMCC decided to become a smoke-free college at the December 2012 Board of Trustees meeting, they aren't alone in their decision.
"Many other institutions of higher education have preceded us, along with countless other business and service providers," Gordon said.
Judy Lewis is another CMU student taking summer classes at MMCC. The Farwell senior is a non-smoker who said she values the rights of both smokers and non-smokers.
“It’s hard for me to understand how people, how so many people make the choice. And I don’t like to take people’s rights away, but, I guess the protection of everyone else’s (rights are important)," Lewis said.
