Smoke-Free RIT

We the undersigned students of the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) hereby demand that the current campus smoking regulations be revised.

We are dismayed by the inconsistency of the administration's health message. We recognize the attempts to assist students with choosing a healthy lifestyle such as the Student Life Center and the program of marking healthy food choices at certain food service locations. However, we are appalled by the fact that the Candy Counter in the lobby of the Student Alumni Union building is still allowed to sell cigarettes. Not only does this present an inconsistent health message, it makes it easier for new students to become addicted to a harmful substance, lowering the general health of the student population.

We are also appalled at the apparent inability of Campus Safety to enforce even the existing smoking regulations. We consistently observe blatant violations of the current regulations, such as persons smoking directly outside of doors in direct violation of the 25 foot rule, despite regular Campus Safety patrols.

We demand of the administration three things:

First, that Campus Safety assess the effectiveness of its current patrols of campus in enforcing smoking regulations and apply changes that will assist them in more effectively and consistently enforcing them.

Second, that the Candy Counter immediately cease selling cigarettes and all other tobacco products. As a part of this, we demand that tobacco products are banned permanently from being sold on campus at any establishment or event.

Third, that the administration revise the campus smoking regulations. In this we demand that, at the very least, the current regulations in place on the residence side be extended to cover the academic side, and that the entire quarter mile be declared smoke-free. We request that the regulations be revised to ban smoking from campus entirely.