CU regent proposes campus-wide tobacco ban

Written by CUIndependent in News on Nov 7, 2007 0:00 / comments

Carrigan cites budgets, health for proposal; student-interest survey begins Thursday

CU Regent Michael Carrigan wants CU to become a tobacco-free campus.

On Thursday, Carrigan will launch a survey to see how students feel about tobacco at the university. It will be available through CuConnect.

After the survey results are received, university regents will visit with student groups and faculty assemblies to decide on a proposal on how to make CU a smoke-free zone.

“Our obligation is to the faculty, students and staff,” Carrigan said.

Carrigan said he has several reasons for removing tobacco from campuses. He feels that the only way to decrease the number of college students who smoke is to keep tobacco off campuses. Carrigan said that a lot of money is spent to pick up cigarette butts that could be used elsewhere on campus.

He proposes that funds that go to health insurance for smokers could be used to help smokers quit.

Shop owners are unsure about the results their business might face.

“I don’t know the effect the ban will have,” said Moa Muhamed of the University Hill Market and Deli.

Muhamed estimates that his store makes about 50 to 60 percent of its money off of tobacco products.

Pete Czapran, a sophomore psychology major, is for the ban, but has some reservations.

“I don’t know if it will stop people from smoking,” Czapran said.

Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Aaron Musick at aaron.musick@colorado.edu.

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