Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are delighted that you have chosen to join us and hopefully contribute to our discussion on the proposed smoke-free Ohio Wesleyan campus. Nine members of the Ohio Wesleyan Debate Association have volunteered to each present one line of argument (please note that these were randomly assigned and are not the personal views of the team members). These arguments will be as follows:
A description of the philosophic Choice Framework, and
Arguments For:
1) Choice: Nonsmokers' Rights
2) Health: Nonsmokers and Smokers
3) Litter Reduction and Environment
4) Health Care Costs in Tuition
Arguments Against:
1) Choice: Smokers’ Rights
2) Ostracization: Stigmatization and Transition Costs to Smokers
3) Impacts on Admission
4) Practicality: Enforcability and Possibility of Alternatives
We ask you to comment on these with your opinions, viewpoints, and arguments, which will be taken and included in a policy briefing memo for the members of WCSA. We do retain the right to edit and delete any offensive, inappropriate, or generally un-classy posts. We hope you stay tuned in and keep the dialogue going!
I feel banning smoking from OWU might discourage many smokers from coming here, but at the cost of transferring the burden to another university or postponing the curiosity that comes as a college student to a later period of life when guidance is lower. As a responsible liberal arts college that believes in developing students who will benefit the society, we need to try and understand people's habit and take steps to educate them. As a college that has proved its unity in the form of "love on the jay" event, I feel our school is capable of living with people's choices, instead of the taking the easier route of banning it.
ReplyDeleteIf smoking is completely banned from campus grounds, then smoking outside will be as big an offense as smoking inside. If the weather is bad, smoker's might choose to risk smoking inside, then smoke outside where they are more visible. This would greatly increase smoking hazards on campus, and more fire alarms would cause insurance to go up. So to state my position again, I think a smoking ban would be more detrimental than helpful for the university and the community.
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