Miami is a public university and as a result, claim they cannot legally ban smoking on campus. Nevertheless, there have been so many complaints about the issue of on-campus smoking that the university has implemented policies to limit such freedoms. It states that all people choosing to smoke must do so twenty-five feet away from all doorways.

  Trenton native and political science major, Joshua Reece said, "It’s a very complicated issue. Where do your civil liberties end and another’s begin?" The junior MUM student continued,"With Miami being a public university, isn’t it a double standard that they say that they can’t ban smoking, but have already banned alcohol?" He brings a good point to the table.

  According to Dean Cowan from Info Central, "The campus must rely on peer pressure and developing a campus awareness campaign to foster greater compliance. When we all see individuals smoking in no smoking areas, it is our shared responsibility to point that out to them, in a polite fashion, and ask them to move away from the areas to finish their smoke."  

  If students don’t feel comfortable confronting smokers, they may call security to enforce the rules. But let’s get real here. The chances of you feeling comfortable confronting someone are slim to none. And by the time you walk through the smoky clouds to call security and them actually arriving there, the person has most likely thrown their butt on the ground and left.

  Freshman, Shaquita Davis of Middletown says that she is asthmatic and has had to use her inhaler more than once after walking through the smoke clouds on her way to class. She specifically pointed out Thesken Hall. Although she has asked smokers in the past to move away from her while they are smoking, she feels that it’s usually not worth the attitude that she receives in return.

  Debra Gray, nursing student says that the smoke doesn’t really bother her when smokers are in the designated areas, but she has never seen anyone enforcing the rules concerning their whereabouts. "What bothers me the most is when I see cigarette butts that have been thrown on the sidewalks and in the bushes." Debra said. "What an awful site for people who are coming into the building for the first time to have to look at our campus," she states concerningly.

  What’s inexcusable is that not only students are breaking this policy, but the faculty members are too. How does anyone expect the students to respect the policy if the staff does not comply? One of the faculty members that I interviewed, whom wished to remain anonymous, says he tries "to be respectful of non-smokers", and stands far enough away from the building as to comply with the policies in place. However, he doesn’t feel that it is his duty to ask students to move if they are breaking the policy. "They should know about and respect the policy in place," he states.

  Even smokers agree that something should be done about this issue. However, like marketing major, junior Jeremy Long points out, "If you are going to tell smokers that they can’t smoke somewhere, then you need to give them a place where they can smoke, especially if it’s raining or snowing outside."

  So what’s the solution here? Or is there even one to be found? The basic consensus of the student population is that smokers need someplace to smoke that is safe and provides shelter in inclement weather. Then again, isn’t the much larger concern here for the health of ourselves and others? Consider this your call to action.