Smokers on campus have new worries to consider besides their health. With the introduction of Arkansas’ Clean Air on Campus Act, students, faculty and visitors alike will have to find another place to practice their habit, whether they smoke it or dip it.

The state legislation only banned cigarettes and other products that produce second-hand smoke. The UCA Board of Trustees, however, expanded the ban to include all tobacco products. Offenders may receive a citation ranging between $100 and $500.

Introducing a rule of this magnitude, however, opened a number of questions the university’s administration had to consider when implementing the ban.

There was a question of whether sidewalks were included in the ban. Conway residents who are not affiliated with the university often walk on the sidewalks.

Chief of Staff Jack Gillean answered this question, after the administration consulted Conway City Attorney Mike Murphy. The university holds control of the sidewalks, so they are included in the ban. A plus for many, but it furthers the inconvenience to smokers.

Another issue that arose was whether university-owned houses, such as the President’s House, should be included. Under the legislation they are, but according to an Aug. 1 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette story, Jeff Pitchford, vice president of university and governmental relations, said he didn’t think legislators had considered everything around the bill. The article reported that the administration was considering an exception be made to the ban because of rules requiring the president to live on campus. The story reported that Meadors doesn’t smoke but his wife is an occasional smoker. The Democrat-Gazette reported later in the week that the administration was not considering an exception to the bill.

That’s a smart move for the administration. UCA would have presented conflicting priorities after enforcing a stricter ban than what the state implemented, and then requesting to be excluded from parts of it. The university should, and did, take a strong stance against smoking, and no one would like to see the most influential member of the UCA community take a different stance. 

Gillean answered a few other logistical questions regarding smoking in cars. Any vehicle, university-owned or privately owned, on university property is subject to the same punishments, regardless of whether smoke is escaping from the vehicle.

Another issue facing the administration and, more importantly, the UCA Police Department is enforcement. Gillean said in an Echo interview that the university is placing focus on awareness rather than enforcement. Most offenders are likely to receive a warning unless they have repeatedly been caught smoking or their behavior is inappropriate during the citation. This isn’t to say that every first offense deserves a $100 fine, but formal warnings need to be recorded and a second offense should result in a fine.

While it is important to make sure all students, faculty and staff are aware of the smoking and tobacco ban, both the administration and police department should be wary of being too lax in handling offenders of the smoking ban. From announcements made last semester to news during the summer and the postings around campus, it isn’t going to take long for residents and regular visitors to campus to be aware of the ban. Because the ban does inconvenience a great number of people, particularly dorm residents, a number of people are going to disregard the ban. If all they ever receive are warnings, there’s nothing to keep these secret smokers from consistently violating the rules. 

This also brings up the issue of trash and cigarette butts on campus. With the new ban, cigarette depositories are no longer located outside of buildings, which will result in an increased amount of butts surely to be found littered outside doorways. If enforcement is lax and the secret smokers continue to smoke on campus, this will become an unsightly feature.

The university began the year with a good decision regarding the smoking ban. It is now its responsibility to keep making decisions that support the state legislature and the university’s own modifications on the law. It would be unfortunate if an unnecessary request for an exception or a lack of enforcement made this rule as ineffective as requiring smokers to stay 25 feet from buildings.