TRAVERSE CITY -- Tobacco users at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City may have to take it off campus next year.
College trustees began discussions this week about an initiative to create a tobacco-free campus, and referred a proposal to the board's policy committee. Smoking currently is forbidden in buildings, and college policy calls for smokers to stay at least 15 feet from building entrances.
That doesn't always happen, though.
"We've received a lot of complaints from students and visitors," said Renee Jacobson, director of NMC student health services.
The 15-foot rule is not enforced and smokers do not police themselves, she said.
"We have a lot of students with allergies to smoke and, of course, second-hand smoke is a dangerous carcinogen," Jacobson said.
College officials would help students stop smoking by bringing a hypnotist to campus and providing free nicotine patches, gum and lozenges, she said.
Some student smokers spoke against a possible tobacco-free policy, but not all.
"I would be very upset and would probably transfer colleges," said Evan Smith, 18, of Kalkaska.
Ashley Flees, 19, of Kalkaska, said the policy would be a waste of time.
"It wouldn't be enforceable. People would just go someplace they could (smoke), or just do it anyway," she said.
But student smoker Michael MacDonald, 25, of Traverse City, said he wouldn't mind.
"I'm here to do work. I don't really need to smoke here. I can save it for after class," he said, adding he should be allowed to smoke in his vehicle.
If approved, the policy likely would go into effect in August next year with the start of fall classes, said Tim Nelson, college president.
Nelson, a "reformed smoker," said he supports the policy's health considerations, but worries smokers would leave campus and go into nearby residential areas or onto city sidewalks to smoke, something trustees must consider.
Trustee Doug Bishop said he wants to ensure the policy is pursued as a matter of public health and not because it may be politically correct.
"If we're going to be dictating what people can or can't do, I want to see what the rationale is," Bishop said.
Trustee Cheryl Gore Follette said the proposed policy is about good health and modeling good behaviors.
"I think it's important for us to be part of that movement to promote good health," she said.
The proposed policy could be considered on a first-reading in October, then come back for final approval in November, Nelson said.
