Pierce College students may soon be attending a smoke-free school.
In their monthly meeting Sept. 15, the Pierce College Work Environment Committee (WEC) discussed going smoke free, according to Director of the Pre-Veterinary program and WEC member, Dr. Leland Shapiro.
“We will be (smoke-free) if people don’t respect the designated smoking areas,” said Shapiro.
The WEC addresses many topics on campus, including workplace safety, environmental concerns and smoking.
Shapiro, an asthmatic, considers smoking a major issue. “We have a constitutional right to a safe working environment,” Shapiro said, sighting the health concerns of secondhand smoke.
According to the American Lung Association, secondhand smoke can have a wide range of adverse health effects, including cancer, respiratory infections and asthma.
Melody Cooper, WEC chair and instructor of art, said, “Nothing at this point has been decided.”
The map on the back page of the Fall 2009 schedule of classes illustrates eight designated smoking areas scattered throughout the campus. According to Shapiro, that hasn’t worked out the way it was supposed too.
“Pierce has authority to enforce it, but has elected not to,” Shapiro said.
There is no monetary fine determined at this point for violating the smoking policies, according to Sheriff’s Deputy Al Guerrero.
“We try to give students the benefit of the doubt,” Guerrero says.
He added that current protocol can consist of taking down the student’s name and information and filling out an incident report, which is subsequently sent to the dean.
Bob Martinez, mathematics chairperson and Senate Vice President of Academic Policy, said in an e-mail, “Whatever final policy concerning smoking comes forward will be the result of complete shared governance discussions between all groups at Pierce College.”
Pierce would not be the first to make this decision. There are 12 completely smoke-free campuses in the state and 16 more that regulate smoking to parking lots, including nearby Moorpark College.
Shapiro quickly cited several schools by name as well as the city of Calabasas, whose Comprehensive Second-Hand Smoke Control Ordinance, launched in 2006, prohibits smoking in all public places in the city when others can be exposed.
Shapiro also suggested that students incapable of quitting smoking should take some of the addiction studies courses offered on campus.
Shapiro added, “If you’re addicted to drugs or alcohol, we wouldn’t provide you a place to drink alcohol.”
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