Bridgewater State, Salem State Ban Smoking On Campus
BOSTON (CBS) - It's back to school for college kids all across New England but this year something new is banned from some campuses. Several state schools are going tobacco-free, campus wide. Salem State University started Thursday.
It's a simple initiative; no smoking by anyone, anywhere on campus.
"This includes driveways, sidewalks, athletic fields, any outdoor space within the perimeter of Salem State campus," says Karen Cady, a spokesperson for the school.
WBZ-TV's Diana Perez reports
The new policy is being welcome by students like SSU Sophomore Tanya Chesson, who says she'd prefer smokeless walks to and from class, "it gives those who don't smoke freedom to walk around they don't have to walk with smoke being blown in their faces."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Karen Twomey reports.
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Cady says SSU announced its plan a year ago after a school-wide survey, "59% of respondents said they were negatively affected by smoke on campus."
And it's picking up, at North Shore Community College they're starting the ban next year and even smokers like Jaron Reddick say they're for it, "I do agree with it cause when people out there smoking and non smokers are going into the building with smoke blowing in their face."
But Reddick, who we spotted, smoking by his car, says he'd prefer a spot at NSCC to light up instead of having to run off campus between classes, "there should be a designated area where you can smoke. They have that grass area over there. There should be a smoking area."
NSCC officially goes smoke-free on January 1st 2012.
Bridgewater State University also started its initiative Thursday.
