More than three years after becoming a smoke-free campus, Ball State is making adjustments to where people can smoke — just like Delaware County.
Student smokers may see some changes regarding smoking sections on campus, but they shouldn't worry about eliminating the areas entirely, said Kay Bales, vice president for Student Affairs.
"There are always conversations about the subject, but there have been no formal discussions about it," she said.
There have been major discussions concerning smoking in Delaware County, though. After a county law to extend a smoking ban in bars and 12 feet outside public buildings was passed, many business owners decided to fight.
Tavern owners, tobacco shops and fraternal organizations are suing the county, asking for the law to be overturned. A hearing is set for Friday, and Donald Dunnuck, attorney for the local board of health and one of the county commissioners who voted to approve the ban in June, said the suit should be dismissed.
Bar owners aren't the only people who dislike the law. Joshua Jones of Muncie said he hopes it will be repealed.
"When I drink, I like to smoke," he said. "It just kind of goes hand in hand."
Freshman music education major Justin Miller said he agreed with Jones.
"When I wake up after a sober night, I'll have seven or eight cigarettes left," he said. "If I'm drinking, I'll wake up with one."
Whitney Lewis, owner of Be Here Now, said he isn't as upset with the ban, and hasn't seen a decline in business.
"But we have always been a non-smoking bar," he said.
Be Here Now allows smoking in its beer garden behind the bar, and Lewis said he has no plans to limit his customers.
"No problems [from law enforcement] so far," he said.
Atrium cashier Shannon Rhinehart said even though she's a smoker, she's glad Delaware County passed the ban.
"I think in a confined spaces like that, it just gets to be too much," she said. "I smoke and it gets to be unbearable for me."
A smaller percentage of Hoosiers are smoking now than ever before, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2010, 21.2 percent of Hoosiers reported smoking, a dramatic decrease from 27.4 percent in 2001. Health Educator Julie Sturek credits smoking bans around the state, much like that in Delaware County, as one reason for such a decline.
"A lot of states and cities and counties are starting to ban smoking in public places," Sturek said. "I think it definitely had an impact."
Sturek declined to comment on the elimination of smoking sections on campus but Rhinehart expressed her distaste of the idea.
"It wouldn't be possible to walk off campus to smoke on my break," she said.
While Rhinehart is able to smoke outside her workplace without needing to walk far, some students in the LaFollette Complex are now required to walk a bit further in order to quell their nicotine craving.
Last year, the LaFollette smoking area was located directly behind Brayton/Clevenger halls. This year, it has moved to the parking lot behind Woody/Shales Halls.
Bales said this change came after conducting walks through the smoking sections.
"Every year, we do a walk-through of our designated areas," she said. "I simply just walk and observe and make sure we have signage. Make sure the smokers adhere to the boundaries."
After last year's walk, she said, she realized a change needed to be made.
"We have nearly 3,000 people over in that area. Not all of those individuals smoke," Bales said. "People would be out there playing music late at night and occasionally smoke would drift into Brayton/Clevenger."
This is the first change to the smoking sections since the movement, and eventual elimination, of the smoking section near Pruis Hall in August 2009.
Bales said there are no further changes being discussed, but also stressed that this may change month-to-month.
"We're always open to listening to people's viewpoints," she said.
Sturek said there has also been a decline of smoking on campus. However, she was weary to make a comparison between the statistics.
"We went from 5.7 percent to 5.1 percent," Sturek said. "But I wouldn't compare them. A lot of smokers on campus are social smokers."
Sturek said banning smoking on campus was an important part of lowering the number of smokers on campus, but also credits education as a key factor.
"A lot of students have been brought up with the knowledge of how harmful smoking can be," she said.
Sturek leads smoking cessation classes, but said few people sign up.
"We get about five a semester," she said. "I just don't think college students are interested in quitting."
Quitting may not be an option for some students, but one thing is certain: it never pays to smoke outside of the designated areas, even if University Police aren't around.
"A ticket for smoking on campus costs $50," Bales said. "And not just UPD can issue them. Any administrator, from assistant hall directors to employee supervisors have the power to do so."
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