University of Michigan smoke-free policy bans smoking in parking lots, but not cars
The University of Michigan has fine-tuned its smoke-free policy to allow individuals to light up in their vehicles and sidewalks adjacent to main public roads — but not anywhere else.
While people can smoke in their cars, smoking won't be allowed in parking structures or surface lots, U-M announced today.
U-M facilities, grounds and buildings will go smoke free July 1.
A University of Michigan student smokes between classes on campus in this 2009 file photo.
File photo
Smoking will be allowed on sidewalks because the university does not own Ann Arbor streets, and U-M has no authority over the sidewalks, a press release said. Although U-M does own the streets on North Campus, the policy will be the same there to be consistent.
Smokers may find this aspect of the policy tricky: U-M has banned smoking on sections of sidewalks along driveways, parking lots, parking structures, loading docks and access drives, even if these are along main roads.
That's because U-M wants to avoid situations where employees have to walk through groups of smokers as people enter and exit buildings, U-M spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said.
Smoking-cessation help will be made available to faculty, staff and their spouses, including generic over-the counter nicotine replacement products. University Health Service will offer students free counseling, classes on quitting and over-the-counter nicotine replacement products.
The policy will rely on voluntary compliance, U-M officials said, although repeat offenders could be disciplined through existing disciplinary processes outlined in the school’s standard practice guide. The office of student conflict resolution, which reviews issues involving student conduct, will handle student violations.
"A staff member could be disciplined, up to dismissal, for repeatedly violating the university policy," Fitzgerald said via e-mail. "Of course, we would hope to never reach that point."
U-M President Mary Sue Coleman targeted smoking on all three U-M campuses, including locations in Flint and Dearborn, in April 2009. Since then, a steering committee for a smoke-free university has filled in the details to the plan.
U-M has already begun promoting the smoke-free initiative to students, but a February awareness campaign is planned for staff and faculty.
According to a nonprofit group called the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation, 466 colleges nationwide have implemented or plan to implement smoke-free campus policies.
In Michigan, that includes 11 community colleges — including Washtenaw Community College, the private liberal arts institution Hope College in Holland, and U-M's three campuses.
Juliana Keeping is a health and environment reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at julianakeeping@annarbor.com or 734-623-2528. Follow Juliana Keeping on Twitter
Comments
David Muzzatti
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 7:10 p.m.
"It's not about the food. It's about keeping those ants in line." - Hopper, from the 1998 movie 'Antz'. It's all about control.
doglover
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 2:11 p.m.
As an asthmatic, I appreciate this policy. Many commenters look at the immediate impact, and think it's silly; I look at the change from the mid-1970's, when mandatory non-smoking sections were first implemented, to today. The change is gradual, but it makes a huge difference in people's health over time. The U had a committee put considerable time and thought into this, and I don't know how they could have done a better job.
KJMClark
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 12:53 p.m.
Tru2blu76 - there is a new technique that might lead to a vaccine, but it looks like it's being studied at Cornell: <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110104134034.htm" rel='nofollow'>http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110104134034.htm</a> - "Vaccine Blocks Cocaine High in Mice: Approach Could Also Stop Addiction to Other Drugs, Including Heroin and Nicotine." The research was just published this month. This research probably *wasn't* funded by the tobacco companies. And smokers supposedly save the rest of us lots of money by dying early (and cheaply) and paying lots of taxes. This old article at Time talks about the savings: <a href="http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,169517,00.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,169517,00.html</a> Enforcement, particularly with employees, isn't impossible. As with anything, they should set the fine high enough to cover their costs. And they probably won't enforce the ban except at problem or high visibility areas. It would be better if the U gave some thought to good places besides the public sidewalks and set those aside as smoking areas. And while I don't have a lot of sympathy for people who don't like to see smokers, none of us non-smokers should have to breathe the smoke. It takes a lot less smoke to make many of us gag than smokers realize. I always feel bad going to a smoker's house, because I can't manage to say two words without gagging. I support other people's right to smoke, but no one else should have to breathe that smoke.
WhyCan'tWeBeFriends
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 6:21 a.m.
Thank you UM for trying to be sensible. While not a smoking advocate in any way at all, if a person is banned from smoking in the personal property of their vehicle, what is to prevent banning of smoking in their own homes? And what other legal activity might be banned by this precedent? As for sidewalks, those concerned can cross the street for the smoke-free air they might otherwise be denied. See how absurd this becomes in our lawyered-up society? @Andy Jacobs - thank you - improperly disposed cigarette butts are littering, no matter what the smokers think, as are bags of fast food leftovers flung from vehicles, flyers on driveways, and 99 other things.
Tru2Blu76
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 5:59 a.m.
Well lets see: nicotine is a legal drug but these out of control wanna be police in the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation want to create a situation much like we have with illegal drugs: "prohibit" their use in select areas. Like THAT is going to work. U of M is in disgrace with this puffery approach: first get your STUDENTS to stop using pot and cocaine and heroine and pilfered prescription drugs. Oh, and "congratulations" on the "great job" you've done with eliminating massive beer consumption just about anywhere there are two or more students together. University of Michigan: a "leading" research institution: WHERE is the cure for nicotine (or any other) addiction: geniuses?! Willing to bet: they do NO research on this at U of M. Paraphrasing Ben Franklin: Mind your ( own) business, UMich.
HENRYK
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 3:01 a.m.
Many young people will say it is not right and say it is against their rights, then this may cause them to quit smoking and years later they will say this was the best thing for them. Time has a way of fixing things for sure.
say it plain
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 2:52 a.m.
@Trespass and others have an interesting angle on this... Hey, I just yahoo-searched (I don't particularly care for google ;-) ) "Johnson and Johnson smoking cessation products" for a kick, and found a story from 2006 about J&J's acquisition of Pfizer OTC productline, which includes...yes indeedy lol!...NICORETTE! Cool....
LXIX
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 12:49 a.m.
Just let me know when Mary Sue bans 0 Drinking by students (alcohol is a known poison to humans) 0 Car use by employees and students (global warming is now a killer) 0 Plastic bottles (laden with a mimic female hormone) 0 Illegal Drugs (just say yes to the random test) 0 Legal Drugs (just say no to unhealthy foreign-made pharmas) 0 Sex on campus - without suitable protection (STDs can be deadly) 0 Gambling on any UM sport without proper University licensing (why not) 0 Trauma tests on living large-brained animals (it is academic) 0 War (and any school activities in support thereof) Yep - and maybe even smoking (and campfires, barbeques, and powerplants)
annie
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 10:14 p.m.
Wow that so I can smoke marijuana and join in their naked run but not regular cigarette? I just wish they would teach the students and the rest of Ann Arbor how to use the crosswalk!
breadman
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 9:32 p.m.
Oh Good!!! I was up to the UofM Hospital parked in the structure third floor handicap parking to come out and find six in a group doing there light up, and I had oxygen on me!!! So does that mean someone will being floor to floor checking for smokers?
5c0++ H4d13y
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 9:03 p.m.
Seems like bit of overreach on the University's part. How far can a campus go in restricting legal activity that they want to limit? This combined with the trespass rule is almost begging for a legal review. They may not want to loose that case.
Stephen Landes
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 8:57 p.m.
I assume this also applies to pot smoking whether medicinal or not.
A2
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 8:53 p.m.
I'm glad that UofM finally banned smoking from any where on campus.
ogel1209
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 8:47 p.m.
I hope this means that the smokers who go across the street in front of the UM Hospital will have to leave. It's disgusting to see hospital workers smoking their cancer sticks in front of the hospital while patients are driving in to park. I don't know why the UM hasn't addressed this situation before.
McGiver
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 8:46 p.m.
Maybe I can find a quack doctor who can write me a prespription for cigarettes. I really need the nicotine to function and chewing tobacco or patches don't work. Only smoking does the job. And I promise to buy them only from legal outlets.
Soothslayer
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 8:31 p.m.
And smokers please stop using the world as your ashtray. Tired of seeing every intersection filled with cigarette buts from inconsiderate smokers throwing them out the window there, on the freeway or just about anywhere. Just use the ashtray in your car like those that cared in the 70's & 80's did. Do you want to make the American Indian from the TV commercial cry again? <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_psq5mcjWcg" rel='nofollow'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_psq5mcjWcg</a>
Bucky Jones
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 8:48 p.m.
I smoke, but I couldn't agree more with Andy here. What the hell, fellow smokers?!? Do you really have to make us look worse? Litter is litter. I smoke way more than I should and am still disgusted by all the butts I see every time I look down. Either stub the butt out or pinch off the 'hot', pinch the end to make sure it isn't still warm, (don't be an idiot and start a trash can fire,) shake out the last bits of tobacco, and throw away the butt. If there is no trash can near by, (and Ann Arbor is covered in trash cans,) put the butt in your back pocket until you can find one. Carry a plastic bag if you don't like having it in your pocket. Easy to do and respectful to your fellow citizens.
michigan48103
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 8:19 p.m.
The University of Michigan has been writing this type of story for many years and the workers just take a walk during their work time and find some place to smoke, the building where the Employment office is located on huron parkway and hubbard for the medical center, it is like a smoking room to walk into the building because of the administration and workers smoking around the building. They do not share with the workers about ways to stop they just do not care and this is workers that is part of the Medical Center, it is sad to go to work every day and see the workers smoking during work time and then come into work and smell like a ash tray and just laugh about it and say, nothing can be done to me, I am now called a manager.
toofmullets
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 8:09 p.m.
I'm always a fan of people who claim nanny-state when its not a paternalism situation. LOL @ smokers.
Dalex64
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 7:42 p.m.
So, on these sidewalks where they can not control smoking, can they also not control trespassing?
frozenhotchocolate
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 7:21 p.m.
well now they will have to hire two new fake cops making sixty grand a year to enforce this policy. in order to pay the new hires salary they will have a quota on how many tickets they must write per day. once the university realizes that their smoking cessasion classes are working too good they will cancel them and begin encouraging smoking in order to generate smoking tickets so they can pay for the two fake police officers they added to eliminate smoking.
trespass
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 7:30 p.m.
No. They will just raise tuition. That is the Board of Regents solution to all financial problems.
Anthony
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 7:12 p.m.
Trespass is right here is the link to the board list for J&J. <a href="http://www.investor.jnj.com/governance/bio.cfm" rel='nofollow'>http://www.investor.jnj.com/governance/bio.cfm</a> This definitely seems like a conflict of interest, granted I would like to see AnnArbor.com do some real journalism and investigate this further, but we all know they lack the guts to investigate the University. Maybe this would be something for a real news organization to look into.
trespass
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 6:44 p.m.
Mary Sue Coleman is on the Board of Johnson & Johnson because of the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation which was funded largely by the donation of more than 10 million shares of J&J stock in 1968. Thus they have a large voting block to decide who sits on the Board. Smoking cessation policy, research and legislation are the top priority of the RWJF and they view universities like UM as opinion leaders. President Coleman receives nearly a quarter million dollars a year for her position on the Board of J&J, which makes her pushing this extensive and excessive smoking ban a conflict of interest. It is a conflict of interest that the Board of Regents refuses to address. Wait until a smart employment lawyer stumbles upon these facts and see how long it takes before we are paying settlements to employees that were fired or pressured to quit by this smoking ban.
David Briegel
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 1:48 a.m.
It is truly a noble cause!
Mike D.
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 12:48 a.m.
You've uncovered a huge corporate conspiracy to keep people healthy. Wait, what?
nowayjose
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 6:28 p.m.
How nice of UofM to let people smoke on public sidewalks and roads that don't belong to them. Hip Hip Horay!!!!!!!!!! Thank you almighty UofM
Kafkaland
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 6:24 p.m.
There is a manifest financial reason why UM bans smoking on campus: The university self-insures medical expenses for their employees, meaning if fewer employees get sick, they have to pay less in medical expenses. And since the health care costs associated with smoking are substantial, this is a way to save some money in the future. But I wonder what's next: prohibit carrying junk food on campus, or banning vending machines that sell all kinds of bad stuff to you?
Dan
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 3:41 a.m.
UM self-insures? Not as far as I know. As a UM employee, I buy health insurance from Blue Cross (BCN) and UM and I each pay part of the cost. BCN is the insurer, UM and I partner together to purchase my insurance.
trespass
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 6:49 p.m.
The smokers who have not already quit, considering the indoor smoking ban, are probably pretty hardcore smokers. I don't expect very many of them to quit smoking but they may quit their jobs at UM. The University may accomplish their goal of having to insure fewer smokers but it will be because more smokers quit and fewer seek jobs at UM.
Bill
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 5:44 p.m.
I would be curious to see a report of whether the number of people seeking Smoking-cessation help through the University Health Systems jumps significantly based on the July 1 ban? Could the university publish its finding in the coming years? - Ex-smoker
treetowncartel
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 5:41 p.m.
I could see banning it on Campus, but enforcing something like this in the Arboretum, the Botanical Gardens and the two golf courses in particular, seems a little absurd. Any idea what they plan on doing for football games and the tailgaters?
Buster W.
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 5:39 p.m.
I'm really confused. Individuals can't smoke in a parking structure or surface lot, but they can if they are in a car which is parked there??? Do the windows need to be up?
Matt Cooper
Tue, Jan 25, 2011 : 5:25 a.m.
You own the car, therefore they can't tell you what to do or not do inside your car. If your windows are down I do believe they can ticket you.
N.
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 5:35 p.m.
Well, that's just a little bit ridiculous. Especially for the Hash Bash city.
Arieswoman
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 5:33 p.m.
As a non smoker it is not much fun to have to ride the elevator with the smokers from the loading dock. Sure glad that is going to be banned! They don't even realize how much they smell.
G. Orwell
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 5:12 p.m.
We are becoming a nanny state that will turn into a police state unless we put a stop to it. The nanny state is conditioning us, particularly the youth, for the eventual police state.
jcj
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 4:48 p.m.
I do not and never have smoked. But this seerms like nothing more than a publicity stunt! No more useful than the text ban. I would like A2.com to revisit this in one year and let us know how many people were cited for this"violation"! Does this apply to medical marijuana ?
GreenEggsandHam
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 4:38 p.m.
Whats next? Enforcing Jay- Walking. Very laughable, Good Luck enforcing this one.
Ignatz
Mon, Jan 24, 2011 : 4:06 p.m.
What? Smoking is bad for you? I'm glad the U has brought this to light. This should make international headlines. Seriously, why would they ban smoking out of doors? It's a legal activity.