Smoke-Free Forum Long Answer Results

The following are answers Algonquin College received via Slido during our the Smoke-Free Forum on December 7, 2018.

Q: How can we improve on the interim smoke-free policy?

Designated areas for the non smokers
Enforce it.
provide snacks
Enforcement
locations for smoking should be available on campus but not near doors
Smoke designated areas
Respecting ALL « learners »
Provide designated smoking areas around campus
Listen to the SA. Great ideas.
Having an enforcement practise
Greater fairness thru better enforcement.
Bring back smoking shelters near the back of buildings
Start enforcing the policy. Too many are smoking right against the doors and won’t move.
Better advertisement of the policy
Extend interim to May
Residence should be able to have designated smoking areas as it is unsafe for them to leave campus, especially at night
Enforcement
More signage + awareness campaign on campus.
Allow there to be smoking on campus.
Define enforcement
Designated smoke areas outside.
Remove all signs located at entrances related to the old smoking policy.
Find a way to enforce it in a respectful way
Consider smoking in evening – students walking in dark to go to off campus smoking location.
Stricter enforcement (more ticketing around areas where ban is violated)
Come to a policy which respects smokers and non smokers and aligns to college’s values
Better enforcement
Designated areas for smokers, enforce no smoking in non-designated areas
Designated areas are already in place. Actually enforce the shelters that already exist. Also clean up the butts
Start opening up more communication with those who smoke.
Hold real consultations. Even this event is skewed in favour of a smoke free campus.
Consideration should be given to how to enforce/if enforcement is possible. Perhaps designated areas would be middle ground and make enforcement easier.
Advertise more about how the permanent policy will be implemented and provide safe spaces off campus for smokers to go
Perhaps smoking rules could be relaxed until a final decision comes into effect (ex. Designated smoking areas)
Implement it faster . Its a great policy the school has a professional reputation uphold
Stop pretending at “consultation”, and actually engage with the community on campus to develop a workable, enforceable smoking policy.
Offer some places on campus that are designated smoking areas and then gradually moving them off campus for the need for transition.
Designated area only and strict enforcement elsewhere.
Put consequence in place – has been difficult with the lack of respect as a result. More of a challenge
By making it permanent and providing support to smokers as the transition takes place.
Designated areas for smokers/smoking, that would be away from high traffic areas to avoid coming in contact with non-smokers
Enforcement
Remind people of policy
Tobacco
Allow smoking in smoking areas of the College. Don’t allow Canabis to be used on campus
Enforce it.orBring back the smoking area to contain smoke and butts
more options for access to smoking cessation resources. At one point, they were sold out online.
Ensure that there are disposal sites for garbage near the off-campus smoking areas so that there are not butts everywhere,
We need to have a location on campus and within residence to allow students to choose to smoke.

 

Q: What else should we be doing to help smokers?

What are you currently doing?
Respecting their rights. We are all adults.
Designated smoking areas,
Designated areas for smoking along with devices to help them quit smoking
Educate and communicate.
Provide a safe place to smoke
Recognize them as humans first
Allowing them the right to smoke on property.
Nothing, there are all kinds of resources available to smokers.
Free gum
Better advertisement of cessation resources
Provide areas on campus to smoke. Realize smoking is an addiction and not just for fun.
Promote resources more
More smoking cessation promotion and access to this service
Have designated smoking areas for them around campus.
Provide safe places to smoke, rather than just saying quit smoking. Some individuals are not in a place to quit and shouldn’t be forced to.
If adult, let them know about health services and wait for them to show up
DEsignate the smoking areas, stop treating us as kids!
Smoking areas
Provide more info about available resources
tell them they smell
offer harm reduction options, but make it more accessible than just a website
Help with cessation programs.
Make it safe for smoking students and employees to smoke
Incentivize discontinuing smoking
Designated smoking areas, increase communication about smoke cessation
Enclosed glass huts providing the full benefits of secondary smoke
Provide info about policy on social media and printed material
Smokers=humans. Humans have rights, as do Canadians. Respect smokers
Point people to addiction resources
Understand that smoking is a choice and we should be able to smoke if we choose, but also be respectful of those who do not. Everyone should be considered here.
Respect the fact addiction Is a chronic relapsing condition. Change will take time. Have a policy that reflects this.
For those wishing to quit assistance from Health Services. For those not wishing to then a safe space to continue.
Help them help the non-smokers.
Smoking is a choice , others shouldnt have to breathe foul air because of smokers . People have asthma non smokers need help
We must be aware that many people smoke to help them with anxiety issues. This is extremely important for mental health
Don’t assume smokers want to quit.
Although there were a lot of respondents, —not everyone responded. Get more people into the conversation
Forcing smokers off campus doesn’t help anyone. Making choices for your public doesn’t help anyone
Ensure people know about the SMART meetings we have on campus
The designated areas will keep the smoking contained rather than having people smoke on the waterfront public walkway that our community users use daily.
Respect them as to would respect a non smoker. Stop turning smokers into villains.

 

Q: What should enforcement of the policy look like?

None
None
Light
fine whoever smokes OUTSIDE of designated areas
Enforce designated areas – ticket people who choose to smoke outside of those areas.
Warnings followed by fines. Not unlike parking.
Everyone ‘s responsibility.
Verbal warning first…then progress from there.
Regular communication and presence.
Designated smoking areas would make enforcement much easier.
Fine
This will be an impossible task for security
Light at first with escalating penalties over time
It is too early to discuss enforcement without an official policy
Well-defined borders for off-campus smoking and/or smoking areas on campus
Easy implementation without AC stakeholders getting affected
Karate Monkey
Enforcement across campus except designated areas.
Something enforceable – don’t put enforcement if place if no mechanism for it to work
i’m with monica
Tickets/fines
warning first with info on resources, and then minimal fine.
security should focus on security, not smokers
Warning then fine or college sanction
enforcing people who do not smoke inside the designated areas. Maybe some sort of demerit point system, and then fines.
Include smokers in plan
Consistently applied To staff and students.
Strictly enforced designated smoking areas. Education – rehabilitation
There should be no smoking around entrances or high traffic area a to respect non smokers (I.e. the daycare should have no smoking whatsoever).DESIGNATED AREAS
The new policy is unenforceable. A workable, enforceable policy that respects the College’s values is needed instead, and the enforce that.
Allow smoking in safe places. It’s fine to enforce it in non smoking areas. All around enforcing must cost a lot to constantly having them searching for people
What are the penalties at other smoke free institutions? Don’t reinvent the wheel.
Warning first. Fines that will be given to the student food bank.
Respect of the use of newly designated smoking areas. Enforcement ONLY for those who smoke outside of these designated areas.
I think enforcement is only realistic if there are designated smoking areas. Warn first if someone is outside the designated area and then fine after that.
Designated areas for smokers along with services for them to have a better transition to quit smoking if they choose to to as they are adults
Fine the smokers and attach it to their transcript. Must be paid to receive your diploma, certificate etc.
Not sure
Specific officers designated to inform smokers of policy, direct to options, provide resources and (lastly) fine.
Warning 1Referral to addiction resources 2Ticketing 3
Progression of enforcement. From verbal to tickets to student conduct.
On Campus designated smoking areas that are enforced.
Is it possible to just ban cannabis on campus, and enforce that?
Maintain designated smoke areas, and continue enforcing.
Listen to the SA and the union rep. Caring, Learning, Integrity, and Respect. Let’s live those values.

 

Q: What would you like to see included in the permanent policy?

Designated smoking areas
Designated areas for smoking
Heavier enforcement
Enforcement
Accomodation for both smokers and non-smokers
Designated smoking areas.
Just banning cannabis
Enforceable enforcement
Smoking areas
Designated smoking areas
Language about smoking in personal vehicles in parking lot.
Designated smoking areas that are strictly enforced. No butt stops near entrances
Designated smoking areas to respect the rights and choices of students
Adequate designated space
Designated smoking spaces away from doors
Ban on smoking on PRIVATE PROPERTY.
No permanent policy. Designated, endorces areas.
NO smoking on campus. Actual enforcement that include fines on the first offence and progression to expulsion.
Enforcement
Maintain designated smoking areas
Separate polices for tobacco and cannabis
Designated smoking areas
Ash trays away from doors
Procedure for enforcement and how violations will be handled.
Designated areas that are enforced, keeping smokers away from doorways but giving them a space that includes a shelter and somewhere to put their butts
A space for students in residence to smoke, especially after hours
Complete ban of smoking on campus.
Designated smoking areas – that provide shelter and proper disposal for cigarettes. These should be away from high traffic areas to accommodate everyone
designated smoking areas
Signage
Designated areas away from main entrance so non smokers don’t have to walk thru a cloud but smokers still have a place to go if they choose to.