Tobacco Free or Tobacco Friendly

Tobacco free or tobacco friendly: What's the deal with smoking on Oberlin campus? Hello, my name's Luna King O'Brien. My name's Ben Giesen. My name is Ben Logan. And I'm Stevin Wallace. Oberlin College has been making efforts to reduce tobacco usage since the nineties. In 2014, the student senate and general faculty voted to pass a tobacco free policy on campus. This policy went into effect July, 2016, but cigarette usage on campus remains at large. We wanted to talk with Oberlin students in Tappan Square on their opinions surrounding tobacco.

Hello, would you be able to introduce yourself for me? Yeah. My name is John Conley. I'm a professor of fiction and creative writing. What are your thoughts about tobacco usage on campus? That's a great question. I think people should be allowed to smoke in general. But as far as the campus policy, I guess it makes sense. I grew up in like the smoking days when everyone smoked, so it's, it's much better when like, not everywhere is yellow, you know?

I'm Saffy Caou. I was really shocked when I got here how many people were smoking cigarettes. I guess I didn't grow up around that, but it's kind of crazy and a little bit out of control in my opinion. And I'm not judging anyone. I don't know. I was just very, I was not expecting it when I got here.

My name is Max. When I think about tobacco usage on campus, I feel like it's often used. As like a social thing, like I feel like a lot of my friends kind of use, use it as like a bonding thing. Like, oh, I'm gonna go out and smoke a cigarette with somebody. But I also think it's like, not to say that it's like entirely performative, but I think there is a performative element to it. But I also don't think it's bad that there's a performative element to it. I think if you're outside of a party and you're like, somebody has a cigarette and like you feel awesome standing there smoking a cigarette, like there's nothing wrong with that.

Hi I’m Luna Peacock. You can be honest. Can I be honest? I love to smoke cigarettes, but I also feel like people should be respectful, especially in like public spaces. I was like at a concert last night and they were smoking cigarettes inside and I thought that was bad. And like, I think people should like, not really be smoking in like Wilder Bowl, but like do it in front of your dorm, whatever.

I'm Rose, I'm Eliana. I'm a third year. I think it's silly. I don't smoke personally, I get why people do it. I think I understand a drunk cigarette. I get that. I don't, I think it'd be impossible to enforce anti-tobacco rules. But I do not like how cigarettes smell personally. But I also don't think we really can do anything about that. Just as long as you're not smoking them inside. But it is like, if you smell like cigs all the time, I'm a little like, eh. But that's my, that's my feel. Wait, can I say something really Oberlin? Um, okay. I was at a contact jam one time and I danced with someone who was dripping with sweat, which like happens in contact, you know, but they also really smelled like cigarettes and it was the most unpleasant experience that I've ever had in a contact jam. But like I can't, I can't really talk 'cause I smoke a lot of weed and so it's like everyone has their thing and I respect that. But it is like, it's also like I get, it's probably worse for you, but like get a vape, it doesn't smell as bad. No, because here's my, here's my, I know it's not as sexy. Here's my take. Here's my take. I think the Oberlin tobacco use is all about image. It's all about, it's all about being like a bohemian artist, like being edgy and like having your little moment outside with your, like, it's all about aesthetics.

My name is Max Novik. I am a math and musical studies double major. Think I would like to say that I don't use tobacco myself, so I'm coming at it from a pretty outside perspective. I see tobacco use, especially outside of dorms, pretty commonly. I think my opinion about its use is pretty much everyone here is, is an adult… The majority of students at Oberlin college are under 21 and According to the Tobacco 21 Act, it is unlawful for any retailer to sell a tobacco product to any person younger than 21 years of age… who can legally use tobacco. And so I can't say I'm completely against them having the ability to do so.

I do. I have often thought it odd that Oberlin claims to be a tobacco free campus when it has not been and, and does not attempt to be. So I think if there was something I would like to see them do, it would be to stop calling oberlin a tobacco free campus because it clearly isn't.

My name is Charlotte Praver and I'm a second year here at Oberlin. Well, I think that Oberlin is like kind of an artsy fartsy institution, so people really like smoking 'cause I think it like looks cool or it's what the cool people do. It's counterculture. Where they do it? Everywhere. Literally everywhere. In their dorms with the window cracked outside of Mudd, outside the ‘Sco. I think they literally just look the other wat…

Hi, I am Ian. I mean, I think a lot of students still use tobacco even though it's a tobacco free campus, and I don't think that's going away, even if they try to enforce it. I think the lack of enforcement on campus allows for people to. Smoke like near buildings. Even though like you wouldn't find that outside of Oberlin, if you're just walking around like a downtown. People are generally more respectful of the town laws around smoking your business. But because it's so unenforced here, you find people smoking outside of dorms and places they probably shouldn't be. Might be part of the problem.

How do you think Oberlin as an institution handles it?

I think they just kind of look the other way. You know, those like, I think there are green signs that's like tobacco free since 2016. We did something once about it. But I don't think they really care.

A common theme we noticed when we were speaking to students on campus was that there seemed to be a lack of enforcement when it comes to the on-campus tobacco use policy. For this reason, we decided to go to campus security and see if we could learn a little bit more about the history of the policy and what's being done to enforce it currently.

I was hoping you could just tell me your name and how long you've worked here at Campus Safety.

Amy Eckhart, and I've worked here for 27 years. So currently, if our officers observe somebody smoking on campus, we inform them about the no smoking policy and ask them. To leave campus that let 'em know that there's no smoking, even vaping, you can't do on the campus property. If it is somebody who is a repeat offender, like we've given them a warning. More than once, and they're not abiding by that we can do a report and send them to conduct.

Hi, I am Finn. I'm Simon. I'm Max. And what are y'all's thoughts about tobacco usage on campus? I use tobacco on campus, but I understand that some people don't really like the smell, and that's kind of completely fair. It can be very intrusive, so you just have to be mindful about it. It is present on campus. I think it like, I don't know, it's inherent to like a college campus vibe. I feel like it's not too crazy, you know? Uh, I think that the use of tobacco on campus is normal and Okay. I think people should like, respect people's opinions on it. Yeah.

I am Madeline. I do think tobacco use is not going anywhere, but I think students should be more kind about where they're smoking or not littering, if they're using nicotine pouches or cigarette buds. Like, you know, sometimes I'm trying to sleep with my window open and. Someone smoking right outside and all my stuff smells like cigarette smoke, and it's a bummer. I'm in the con and people will leave their Zyns on the floor in the practice rooms. Really? Yeah. That's nasty. And it's gross. So I'm not anti, you know, use of nicotine and tobacco products. Just do it in a responsible way, I guess. Right. I like that take.