Smoke-Free Forum Long Answer Results
The following are answers Algonquin College received via Slido during our the Smoke-Free Forum on December 7, 2018.
Q: How can we improve on the interim smoke-free policy?
Designated areas for the non smokers |
Enforce it. |
provide snacks |
Enforcement |
locations for smoking should be available on campus but not near doors |
Smoke designated areas |
Respecting ALL « learners » |
Provide designated smoking areas around campus |
Listen to the SA. Great ideas. |
Having an enforcement practise |
Greater fairness thru better enforcement. |
Bring back smoking shelters near the back of buildings |
Start enforcing the policy. Too many are smoking right against the doors and won’t move. |
Better advertisement of the policy |
Extend interim to May |
Residence should be able to have designated smoking areas as it is unsafe for them to leave campus, especially at night |
Enforcement |
More signage + awareness campaign on campus. |
Allow there to be smoking on campus. |
Define enforcement |
Designated smoke areas outside. |
Remove all signs located at entrances related to the old smoking policy. |
Find a way to enforce it in a respectful way |
Consider smoking in evening – students walking in dark to go to off campus smoking location. |
Stricter enforcement (more ticketing around areas where ban is violated) |
Come to a policy which respects smokers and non smokers and aligns to college’s values |
Better enforcement |
Designated areas for smokers, enforce no smoking in non-designated areas |
Designated areas are already in place. Actually enforce the shelters that already exist. Also clean up the butts |
Start opening up more communication with those who smoke. |
Hold real consultations. Even this event is skewed in favour of a smoke free campus. |
Consideration should be given to how to enforce/if enforcement is possible. Perhaps designated areas would be middle ground and make enforcement easier. |
Advertise more about how the permanent policy will be implemented and provide safe spaces off campus for smokers to go |
Perhaps smoking rules could be relaxed until a final decision comes into effect (ex. Designated smoking areas) |
Implement it faster . Its a great policy the school has a professional reputation uphold |
Stop pretending at “consultation”, and actually engage with the community on campus to develop a workable, enforceable smoking policy. |
Offer some places on campus that are designated smoking areas and then gradually moving them off campus for the need for transition. |
Designated area only and strict enforcement elsewhere. |
Put consequence in place – has been difficult with the lack of respect as a result. More of a challenge |
By making it permanent and providing support to smokers as the transition takes place. |
Designated areas for smokers/smoking, that would be away from high traffic areas to avoid coming in contact with non-smokers |
Enforcement |
Remind people of policy |
Tobacco |
Allow smoking in smoking areas of the College. Don’t allow Canabis to be used on campus |
Enforce it.orBring back the smoking area to contain smoke and butts |
more options for access to smoking cessation resources. At one point, they were sold out online. |
Ensure that there are disposal sites for garbage near the off-campus smoking areas so that there are not butts everywhere, |
We need to have a location on campus and within residence to allow students to choose to smoke. |
Q: What else should we be doing to help smokers?
What are you currently doing? |
Respecting their rights. We are all adults. |
Designated smoking areas, |
Designated areas for smoking along with devices to help them quit smoking |
Educate and communicate. |
Provide a safe place to smoke |
Recognize them as humans first |
Allowing them the right to smoke on property. |
Nothing, there are all kinds of resources available to smokers. |
Free gum |
Better advertisement of cessation resources |
Provide areas on campus to smoke. Realize smoking is an addiction and not just for fun. |
Promote resources more |
More smoking cessation promotion and access to this service |
Have designated smoking areas for them around campus. |
Provide safe places to smoke, rather than just saying quit smoking. Some individuals are not in a place to quit and shouldn’t be forced to. |
If adult, let them know about health services and wait for them to show up |
DEsignate the smoking areas, stop treating us as kids! |
Smoking areas |
Provide more info about available resources |
tell them they smell |
offer harm reduction options, but make it more accessible than just a website |
Help with cessation programs. |
Make it safe for smoking students and employees to smoke |
Incentivize discontinuing smoking |
Designated smoking areas, increase communication about smoke cessation |
Enclosed glass huts providing the full benefits of secondary smoke |
Provide info about policy on social media and printed material |
Smokers=humans. Humans have rights, as do Canadians. Respect smokers |
Point people to addiction resources |
Understand that smoking is a choice and we should be able to smoke if we choose, but also be respectful of those who do not. Everyone should be considered here. |
Respect the fact addiction Is a chronic relapsing condition. Change will take time. Have a policy that reflects this. |
For those wishing to quit assistance from Health Services. For those not wishing to then a safe space to continue. |
Help them help the non-smokers. |
Smoking is a choice , others shouldnt have to breathe foul air because of smokers . People have asthma non smokers need help |
We must be aware that many people smoke to help them with anxiety issues. This is extremely important for mental health |
Don’t assume smokers want to quit. |
Although there were a lot of respondents, —not everyone responded. Get more people into the conversation |
Forcing smokers off campus doesn’t help anyone. Making choices for your public doesn’t help anyone |
Ensure people know about the SMART meetings we have on campus |
The designated areas will keep the smoking contained rather than having people smoke on the waterfront public walkway that our community users use daily. |
Respect them as to would respect a non smoker. Stop turning smokers into villains. |
Q: What should enforcement of the policy look like?
None |
None |
Light |
fine whoever smokes OUTSIDE of designated areas |
Enforce designated areas – ticket people who choose to smoke outside of those areas. |
Warnings followed by fines. Not unlike parking. |
Everyone ‘s responsibility. |
Verbal warning first…then progress from there. |
Regular communication and presence. |
Designated smoking areas would make enforcement much easier. |
Fine |
This will be an impossible task for security |
Light at first with escalating penalties over time |
It is too early to discuss enforcement without an official policy |
Well-defined borders for off-campus smoking and/or smoking areas on campus |
Easy implementation without AC stakeholders getting affected |
Karate Monkey |
Enforcement across campus except designated areas. |
Something enforceable – don’t put enforcement if place if no mechanism for it to work |
i’m with monica |
Tickets/fines |
warning first with info on resources, and then minimal fine. |
security should focus on security, not smokers |
Warning then fine or college sanction |
enforcing people who do not smoke inside the designated areas. Maybe some sort of demerit point system, and then fines. |
Include smokers in plan |
Consistently applied To staff and students. |
Strictly enforced designated smoking areas. Education – rehabilitation |
There should be no smoking around entrances or high traffic area a to respect non smokers (I.e. the daycare should have no smoking whatsoever).DESIGNATED AREAS |
The new policy is unenforceable. A workable, enforceable policy that respects the College’s values is needed instead, and the enforce that. |
Allow smoking in safe places. It’s fine to enforce it in non smoking areas. All around enforcing must cost a lot to constantly having them searching for people |
What are the penalties at other smoke free institutions? Don’t reinvent the wheel. |
Warning first. Fines that will be given to the student food bank. |
Respect of the use of newly designated smoking areas. Enforcement ONLY for those who smoke outside of these designated areas. |
I think enforcement is only realistic if there are designated smoking areas. Warn first if someone is outside the designated area and then fine after that. |
Designated areas for smokers along with services for them to have a better transition to quit smoking if they choose to to as they are adults |
Fine the smokers and attach it to their transcript. Must be paid to receive your diploma, certificate etc. |
Not sure |
Specific officers designated to inform smokers of policy, direct to options, provide resources and (lastly) fine. |
Warning 1Referral to addiction resources 2Ticketing 3 |
Progression of enforcement. From verbal to tickets to student conduct. |
On Campus designated smoking areas that are enforced. |
Is it possible to just ban cannabis on campus, and enforce that? |
Maintain designated smoke areas, and continue enforcing. |
Listen to the SA and the union rep. Caring, Learning, Integrity, and Respect. Let’s live those values. |
Q: What would you like to see included in the permanent policy?
Designated smoking areas |
Designated areas for smoking |
Heavier enforcement |
Enforcement |
Accomodation for both smokers and non-smokers |
Designated smoking areas. |
Just banning cannabis |
Enforceable enforcement |
Smoking areas |
Designated smoking areas |
Language about smoking in personal vehicles in parking lot. |
Designated smoking areas that are strictly enforced. No butt stops near entrances |
Designated smoking areas to respect the rights and choices of students |
Adequate designated space |
Designated smoking spaces away from doors |
Ban on smoking on PRIVATE PROPERTY. |
No permanent policy. Designated, endorces areas. |
NO smoking on campus. Actual enforcement that include fines on the first offence and progression to expulsion. |
Enforcement |
Maintain designated smoking areas |
Separate polices for tobacco and cannabis |
Designated smoking areas |
Ash trays away from doors |
Procedure for enforcement and how violations will be handled. |
Designated areas that are enforced, keeping smokers away from doorways but giving them a space that includes a shelter and somewhere to put their butts |
A space for students in residence to smoke, especially after hours |
Complete ban of smoking on campus. |
Designated smoking areas – that provide shelter and proper disposal for cigarettes. These should be away from high traffic areas to accommodate everyone |
designated smoking areas |
Signage |
Designated areas away from main entrance so non smokers don’t have to walk thru a cloud but smokers still have a place to go if they choose to. |