Published: February 16, 2011

Smokers in New York City now have even fewer places to light up in the five boroughs. The City Council voted 36-12 in favor to ban smoking in city parks, beaches and pedestrian plazas, like the one in Times Square. The ban comes after the board of trustees of the City University of New York (CUNY) voted to ban smoking on all 64 campuses last month. This recent crackdown has students at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) wondering if a ban could extend to the Lincoln Center campus.

Keith Eldredge, dean of students at FCLC, said there have not been many discussions about banning smoking at FCLC, and there probably will not be in the future unless students ask for it.

“It’s a difficult balancing act,” Eldredge said. “In all honesty, we would look to the student community and other groups on campus to come forward to say, ‘This is a direction we should move in.’” Eldredge said if students were considering a ban, they should probably go through a student organization like United Student Government (USG) or Residential Life.

According to Eldredge and the FCLC facilities department, smoking is not restricted anywhere outside on campus. Students can smoke outside McMahon Hall, where the University places a space heater during the winter. Students can also smoke outside Lowenstein and in the plaza area.

However, facilities management has noted some concern about smoking near intake circulation systems that could potentially blow smoke into the building through the air system. There are “no smoking” signs on the east and west sides of the Plaza near those circulation systems, asking people to smoke 50 feet away from the area.

The new legislation prompted much debate over the personal freedoms and civil liberties of New Yorkers and those who visit the five boroughs. It also caused some discussion between smokers and non-smokers on FCLC’s campus.

Anna Brannigan, FCLC ’14, is a smoker. She said she thinks the ban is too constricting. “It comes to a point where people are going to choose what they are going to choose. You can’t do it for them,” Brannigan said. “If people want to smoke, they know they’re hurting themselves. But you can’t tell them not to do it. It’s ridiculous.”

Plus, Brannigan said there’s a large smoking culture at FCLC. It is even more visible because the campus is so small and there are fewer areas to smoke outside. “I know a lot of people come here and start smoking,” Brannigan said. “In the freshman class, a large majority [of students] now smoke who didn’t come in smoking.”

Jennifer Lane, FCLC ’12, does not smoke, but still said the bill is ove the top. “I’ve never personally been bothered by it. I can see why [they voted to ban it], but I don’t think it’s really necessary,” she said. “There are ways they can fix the problem without totally banning it.”

According to WNYC radio’s website, the city will post “No Smoking” signs in designated areas if the ban goes into effect, but they will not appoint additional officers to enforce the law. Those who are caught smoking in these areas, however, will be hit with a $50 nuisance fine.

Native New Yorker Jen Shields, FCLC ’14, started smoking before college.

“Maybe the ban should be near playgrounds or places where children are affected,” Shields said. “or maybe during certain hours. But all across the board, for me, is too drastic.”

Many of the city councilmembers supported the ban primarily because of the effects of secondhand smoke. City Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito cited high asthma rates in her Harlem and Bronx districts as the main reason she supported the bill.

“Asthma rates among children are alarming, and parents have reported that even the slightest amount of secondhand smoke can trigger an attack,” she said in a statement.

Christy Moehrle, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’11, said she is in favor of the ban. “There’s no difference between being in a restaurant and wanting to eat without someone smoking next to me, and being in an open space without someone smoking next to me. I’m there because I want fresh air.”

Matt Dreskin, FCLC ’13, said he rarely ever smokes and a ban on FCLC’s campus wouldn’t make a difference. “All you would really have to do is walk across the street…It’s not like it would really be moving them all that far.”

He said politicians enacting these measures should just cut to the chase. “If the government is going to try and do this, they might as well just ban nicotine all together instead of taking baby steps to its eventual end.”

This ban is the latest healthy initiative pursued by Mayor Bloomberg during his time in office. In 2002, he banned smoking in restaurants and bars. “Our efforts over the last nine years have resulted in more than 350,000 fewer smokers, and contributed to New Yorkers living 19 months longer than they did in 2002,” Bloomberg said.

The mayor has another week to sign the bill. Afterwards, it will take effect in 90 days.