The Bakersfield College Organized and United for Good Health Committee, also known as B-COUGH, is proposing a tobacco-free campus, according to Nick Acosta, Student Government Association general counsel and B-COUGH’s student chair.
On Oct. 30, Acosta unveiled a draft of his BC Healthy Campus Initiative, which outlines B-COUGH’s objectives and commitment “to providing a safe and healthy environment for its employees, students, and visitors.”
In spring 2012, the student body voted on the issue of smoking. The vote was split between three choices, and when they were averaged, 48 percent wanted a 100 percent tobacco free campus, 82 percent wanted some form of change and 19 percent wanted no change.
Acosta believes that we need to have a vote with either yes for a 100 percent tobacco free campus, or vote no for some form of designated smoking areas.
“It’s a health issue,” said Acosta. “That’s part of the problem. It’s not like they’re thinking about other people. They’re just not thinking about it. I don’t think they’re intentionally being selfish. They don’t think it’s bothering anyone.”
At the Nov. 6 meeting, B-COUGH’s agenda detailed some of the ways it wanted to raise awareness of the health risks associated with smoking and about the vote to take place during the first two weeks of the spring 2012 semester.
Acosta said the vote would be open to current enrolled students and would be hosted on the InsideBC website.
“I don’t just want to advertise for the vote, but advertise quitting smoking,” said Acosta. “Because if we advertise things like this and show you the negative effects of smoking then it will influence people to not want to smoke.”
Some of the ways they plan to raise awareness is to put posters in all of the buildings and around the campus that also have Health Center information.
John Gerhold, department chair for Performing Arts and an Academic Senate member, who is involved closely with the smoking issue, said, “The smoking ban got the highest number, but it wasn’t more than 50 percent of the total. So, I think the feeling among the senators was that we’re probably going to move in that direction.
“I think most of the time, smokers feel like it’s a personal choice if they want to do that,” said Gerhold. “I know there has been a lot of public education about second-hand smoke, but I don’t know if I could answer for most people who smoke.
“It seems to me that even if somebody smokes that they could step off campus, or not light up on campus. They could wait until they’re leaving in their car, or go off campus to lunch perhaps.
“If the smoking ban ends up being applied and is enforced, I don’t think that means that smokers can’t come to BC. It just means that they have to modify their behavior when here.”
According to reports, all 10 of the University of California colleges will prohibit cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco on their campuses. UCLA will begin the ban April 22, 2013.
According to the California Government Code Sections 7596-7598, smoking is prohibited inside any building owned, occupied, or leased by the state, county or city including California community colleges. It is also prohibited to smoke within 20 feet of a main exit, entrance, or operable window of a public building, or in a passenger vehicle owned by the state.