Where there's Smoke...
I'm doing a press conference this morning calling for a ban on smoking in university housing in Illinois. The bad news is that smoking is one of the leading causes of fires in student housing. Plus, given what we know about the dangers of second-hand smoke, it's hard to justify requiring students to live in an environment that we know to be unsafe. The good news is that most Illinois universities already have the ban in effect. Some notable exceptions are the University of Chicago, University of Illinois-Chicago, and Eastern Illinois. Lisa Donovan has a story on the bill in today's Sun-Times.
This is as much a public safety issue as it is a public health issue. And while the bill won't be heard until the next session, I'm announcing it now to increase awareness and caution as students around the state are returning to school.
This is as much a public safety issue as it is a public health issue. And while the bill won't be heard until the next session, I'm announcing it now to increase awareness and caution as students around the state are returning to school.
posted by Rep. John Fritchey @ 9/01/2005
15 comments
15 Comments:
Why don't you just introduce a bill to outlaw smoking? Why the constant incrementalism?
Hey John-
Your proposal will exempt Emil Jones College, er, I mean Chicago State University, right?
Illini -
First off, I don't think a ban has any chance of passage at this point. Secondly, it's hard to justify banning one unhealthy behavior without treading onto personal liberties for others (alcohol comes to mind). Third, this is a situation where students are being required to live on-campus, but being put into a potentially unsafe situation.
As I said in the press conference about an hour ago, this really is as much a public safety issue as it is a public health issue. Other states (New Jersey) have waited until they had fatal dorm fires to enact this type of law. I don't think that we should wait.
Rep. Fritchey-
Kudos on this bill. Lots of times, it is the little things that can go a long way in helping.
And, as an aside, how can you leave GapersBlock.com off of your blogroll!?
Put me down as a co-sponsor.
Thanks Paul, I can always count on your support for good legislation. You'll be on it with me.
Why is Springfield concerned with this?
Isn't this a university policy issue?
What are we paying the university adminsitrators for if policies like this must be dictated from Springfield?
Aren't there more pressing problems Springfield should be concerned with?
I'm sorry if I'm not as excited about this legislation as everyone else here is.
The fact that there is no smoking in the public portions of educational institutions is the result of the state Clean Indoor Air Act, not university policy. The Act does not apply to living quarters. My proposal would simply be a targeted expansion of the Act with a legitimate public safety and public health objective.
So the universities themselves do not have the power to restrict smoking in their living areas?
They do have the power, and the good news is that most of them already prohibit smoking in residence halls. Some of them don't however, and I believe that it should be a uniform policy, which happens to be within the purview of the legislature to implement.
Hey Fritchey,
Great blog! Please add my name as a co-sponsor also.
Never seen a anti-smoking bill I didn't like!
I want to thank Representative Fritchey for introducing this legislation. I am dismayed that the spokesperson for UIC said he would comply with the law, but that now the University has no plans to prohibit smoking in dorms and residence halls. It is sad that he refuses to acknowledge the health and safety issue and as a public institution associated with a major medical school it seems that they should be leading the support. And UIC does prohibit smoking on all other university properties.
>spokesperson for UIC said he would
>comply with the law, but that now
>the University has no plans to
>prohibit smoking in dorms and
>residence halls.
Did the spokesman give a reason for this position?
I like it when the lawmakers pass laws overriding career bureaucrats. What right do the trustees have to run their university?
Given that all of the other U of I campuses prohibit smoking in dorms, it is difficult to understand what the rationale is for UIC's position.
As far as the legislator/trustee dichotomy is concerned, again I believe that this is a public safety and public health issue that falls within our realm and do not see us overriding any rightful authority of the trustees.
Rep. Fritchey,
You mentioned that part of your rationale for prohibiting smoking in public university residence halls is that some students are required to live there.
How about allowing students the right to live where they choose?
Anon. Sept 1 9:25, John Galt, and Anon. Sept. 5 12:58,
The universities are publicly funded and therefore answerable to the taxpayers and our representatives, the legislature.
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