by James Connolly

“I DON’T SMOKE ‘so plan.” That was the reaction of one UPEI student in the cafe-

She refer- ring to the recently imple-

it’s a good

teria. was mented smoking. ban in the cafeteria. On. September first, the cafeteria was offi- cially declared.a smoke-free area and a message of ex- planation from the Presi- dent’s office was posted on the bulletin boards and on the miero-wave. People found out about the smok- ing ban more by word of mouth than by. the bul- letins. “I’ve heard about it, but T haven*t seen any- thing ahont it” and “When people realize, they ll obey the rule,” were typical :com- ments froin students eating in the cafeteria.

A common misconcep- tion is that Senate rushed the proposal through at the last minute this “Our committee started in late 1986: November,” said Dr. Satadal Das- gupta, president of the Ad Hoc committee on smok- ing control. Previously the UPEI Faculty Associa- tion had presented Senate with a striet, perhaps rad- ical, all-encompassing non- smoking proposal. | Their document was discussed in senate, but no resohitions were passed. On 21 Nov 86 the Faculty Association’s motion was tabled in Sen- ate at which time the ad hoc committee was formed.

The committee’ consisted of 5 Senators: Dr... Dasgupta (then a smoker) and Arnost Cepica (non-smoker) from the faculty, Rob Kelly (non- Smoker) and Kirstin Lund (smoker) from the student body, and Ian MacDon- ald (former-smoker) from the administration. This 80/40% committee is very Tepresentative of the gen- eral population (65% non- Smokers and 35% smokers). The committee com- enced by studying the

summer.”

FIGHTS FOR SMOKE- FREE SPACES

smoking policies of other Universities and companies. It was quickly realized that UPEI, with its policy that forbids smoking in rooms, is. actually ahead of many institutions. In light of this, the commit- tee began gathering infor- mation about the effects of

class-

secondhand smoke on non- smokers. “Sthokers defi- nitely do have rights,” said Dasgupta, “but not the right to put the health of non-smokers in jeopardy.” From the senate report oTthe.-. from adverse health conse-

nonsmoker — suffers quences of passive smoking which include headaches, eye and nasal irritation, im- pairment of lung function, aggrevation .... of asthma,” and the list continues. “ Ap- proximately 500 Canadians die of lung cancer each year as a result of passive expo-

sure to tobacco smoke.”

According to Dr. gupta.. “Smokers are be- coming a minority. They are looked down upon in so- ciety.” One student spoke of the policy. “Tt’s the status, quo: they. (senate) change things behind your back.” On 20 Feb 87, senate debated the policy then unanimously passed it onto the UPEI Board of Governors for implementa- tion. When asked if Sen- ate polled the student body. ‘Dasgupta responded that “We could have held a ref- erendum, but it’s a decision for the welfare of everyone. (It was) passed by senate through democratic debate .. Smoking is detrimental to all people, even smok- ers.”

“The ultimate goal is to have non-smoking all across campus. We can’t expect this overnight.” The pol-

icy recommended by sen- ate to the Board of Gover- nors is that all public ar- eas of university buildings be smoke-free at all times. These areas include class- rooms, laboratories, read-

Das-_

ing, rooms, book ated vehicles,

lounges, the UPET

washrooms,

store. oper- etc. All lounge areas in residences are now smoke- free areas, but the touchy subject of smoking in. the rooms has been left to the Board of Governors. One noted, “I don't smoke, but one of my room-

student mates does. It bothers me when I’m in the room.” The plan calls for each building to dinator who can

have a coor- chose a smoking area which is sep- arate from public lonnges. Lounges are for all people to relax or work in. The Board of Governors has al- ready passed the proposal

in principle, but it must

look at the cost 6f imple-

menting designated smok-

ing areas.

“We need to have des- ignated areas in each build- ing as long as smoke from the areas does not pollute the other smoke-free ar- eas in the: building.” said Dasgupta. “The Vet Col- lege has a forced circulation air system in which people cannot smoke.” If people smoked inside the Vet Col- lege, the smoke would even- tually permeate the whole building. The senate com- mittee’s policy. does not specify that people must smoke outside, rather that each building has its own smoking area.

The proposed plan is to be completely phased in by January 1988. The cafe- teria is the most notice- able example of the imple- mentation, but other build- ings will be effected soon enough. “I hope this pol- icy will help a lot of peo- ple quit smoking. (The pol- icy) deliberately discour- ages smoking on campus,” Dasgupta continued, “and the more difficult it is for people to smoke, the less they will.”

The proof is the now- old policy which prohibits smoking in classrooms.

US:

tS Vii TIMI NUIT UCI

When the policy was in- troduced by senate, many students and professors (in- eluding Dasgupta) know how they would make

it through the class-period |

we

didn’t |

TID.

aw

without smoking. adjust ...

We did we got used to it over time.”

Cont. on page 3

CIMN Radio service restored

CAMPUS RADIO service has been partially restored. Last Friday, CIMN staff member Bob Stanley spliced to- gether cables in Main Building linking CIMN to its trans-

mitter in Bernardine Hall.

CIMN had_been unable to

broadcast since the cables were accidentally cut in late

July.

With the cables temporarily repaired, CIMN can now

be heard in all three UPEI residences.

Another cable link-

ing Blanchard Hall was thought to be cut as well, but when service was restored Blanchard Hall’s signal came through

clearly.

Cable service, however, will take longer to restore. A modulator box needed to connect to Island Cablevision has been located and CIMN may begin cablecasting again

in as little as a week.

The usual CIMN broadcast to the speaker in Robert- son Library Lounge may be restored at that time as well. In Bernardine, Blanchard, and Marion Halls, CIMN may be tuned in at 700 AM. When cable service becomes active again, anyone with cable service at home may re- ceive CIMN by connecting the cable to an FM radio and

-tuning 102.3 FM.