The use of vapes and electronic cigarettes will soon be banned on campus after Texas A&M University (TAMU) System Chancellor John Sharp sent out an announcement for all in the A&M system early last week.
Electronic cigarettes and vapes have been in the news often recently as there have been 1,080 reported cases of lung injures connected to the use of these products and 18 deaths as of Oct. 1, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
The threat of students at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK), and other schools in the TAMU System, getting the lung disease associated with vapes caused Sharp to issue the ban.
“I do not want to take any unnecessary chances with the health of our students, faculty and staff. To that end, I am directing the presidents of each of the 11 universities and the directors of the eight state agencies within The Texas A&M University System to ban the use of e-cigarettes and vaping as soon as possible,” Sharp said in a memo sent to students, faculty and staff.
TAMUK has submitted the revision of the university’s “Smoke-Free Environment” policy to include the ban on electronic cigarettes and vapes to the TAMU Office of General Counsel for final approval.
TAMUK is also looking into becoming a tobacco and smoke free campus meaning traditional cigarettes will be banned as well after the Student Government Association passed a resolution for the transition.
The university will be holding three forums to get input from students, faculty and staff on becoming tobacco and smoke free.
The student session will be at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 6. The staff session is at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 13 and for faculty, the session will be held at 3 p.m. on Nov. 19. All forums will be held in the Memorial Student Union in room 221 A&B.
Currently, smoking on campus is prohibited in all “No Smoking” areas and in all university- owned buildings, athletic stadiums, retail service areas and all
vehicles owned or leased by Texas A&M University- Kingsville.
However, smoking traditional cigarettes is not completely banned at TAMUK.
“On university property, smoking is permitted in open-air areas outside of buildings at a distance of at least 20 feet from any entrance door or window so that secondhand smoke will not interfere with the occupants of the buildings or individuals entering and exiting the buildings. In athletic stadiums, smoking is permitted downwind and at least 20 feet away from the seating and vending areas,” the TAMUK 2019 Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report said.
Since the announcement was made to TAMUK students, faculty and staff, there have been varying reactions from members of the campus community.
“I think it’s a good thing, young adults need to see the dangers of vaping and that just because it’s not cigarettes doesn’t mean it’s good for you,” former student Hope Rutherford said after hearing about the ban on Twitter.
Meanwhile, general business major Alexis Lopez, disagrees with the ban.
“I believe that we, as adults, know and understand the harm that comes with vaping/smoking. All of us at one point or another had to take a class or watch [a] presentation on the effects of drugs, smoking and alcohol. Even as freshman the school made us do that education course about the effects of vaping and smoking as a requirement,” Lopez said, “By creating the ban the Chancellor is taking away one of the many freedoms that comes with becoming an adult…By not including the majority of the school population in the vote to agree or disagree on this [decision]…is very bias and single minded.”
The TAMU System is one of many schools in the nation banning vape use on campus because of the health dangers associated with their usage. In Texas, TAMU will now be joining the University of Texas System which banned e-cigarettes and the usage of all other tobacco products on its campuses in 2017.