University calls on people to remind smokers, security guards don’t send smokers off campus

The university wants to enforce the total smoking ban on Woudestein campus more strictly and is calling on students and staff to remind smokers of the smoking ban. But a walk around campus shows that security guards usually do not tell smokers to leave the campus for a drag.

On the Plaza, student Julie is chatting with fellow students, a cigarette in her hand. The criminology student regularly smokes on campus. “When I take a break or quickly go to the Spar, I often light a cigarette.” She is sometimes approached about it. “Usually by a security guard. Then they tell me to find another spot.” According to Julie, they don’t tell her to actually leave the campus. “Rather a somewhat hidden place, where fewer people are bothered. Between the Food Plaza and the Polak building, for example.”

She thinks it makes sense that she is being reminded. “I’m not allowed to smoke here, so then I put my cigarette out and walk away. But it doesn’t really have much effect, because I also see other people smoking everywhere here on campus.” Quitting is not an option for now. “In that respect I really am a student, I am in a student association as well and almost everyone smokes there. Quitting seems quite difficult to me.”

Officially, you’re only allowed to smoke outside the blue line that surrounds the campus. After two rounds across the campus at different times, there is no one to be seen who does that. An economics student who’s smoking by the pond also confirms this. “I don’t think people really do that. Security is usually lenient and thinks it’s fine if we stand a few steps further away.”

Not everyone reminds smokers

At Erasmus Sport, on the square by the Spar and at the entrance of the Mandeville building it is quiet. The cigarette butts that normally lie in front of the Mandeville building seem to have just been cleared away. “The smokers are probably still in class”, jokes economics student Jane, who is on the phone with her mother in front of the Spar. “I actually like it when there are no smokers for a while. Otherwise my clothes and hair smell of smoke, I think that’s disgusting.” Still, she wouldn’t be quick to remind smokers. “I don’t want to come across as a know-it-all.” Medical student Teun wouldn’t do so either. “I am fine with people smoking here. As long as others are not bothered by it, it is up to them.”

IT specialist Edwin walks towards the Plaza with a colleague. “Why should I speak to smokers?”, he asks rhetorically. “If the security guard can’t get them to move on, why would I want to try?”

“I do remind them”, says a law student. “I have asthma and I really find smokers very annoying.” She is standing with two friends near the Sanders building. “When you walk out of this building, you are regularly hit by a cloud of smoke immediately. Sometimes people even blow smoke in your face.” She then looks at them angrily and speaks to them about it, she says. But it doesn’t have much effect. “They don’t seem to care.”

Vaping is easier

In front of the Langeveld building, two students are talking: one with a cigarette, the other with a vape. “I like vaping because it doesn’t smell and it’s easier”, the student says as she inhales from her vape. “With a cigarette you always have to carry a lighter.” They know about the smoking ban but have never been spoken to while smoking. “I have only just started smoking”, says the other student. She lights a new cigarette and puts the lighter in her jacket pocket. “And I actually take few smoke breaks on campus.”

At the bicycle parking next to the Langeveld building, a group of students from the International Bachelor of Economics and Business Economics (IBEB) are hanging around. One female student is vaping. The colour of her vape happens to match her purple-painted acrylic nails. Her friends laugh when the words ‘social smoker’ come out of her mouth. “No way”, says one of the boys. “She’s smoking every break.” The student herself says she has only just started. “That’s also because of my fellow students. Everyone in IBEB smokes”, she jokes. She too is regularly spoken to by security. “Usually when I smoke close to the entrance of a building. If you stand a bit further away, it’s often fine.”

What do her friends think of her smoking? “I think smokers should be banned from our society”, a student says jokingly to his girlfriend. “They should be separated from normal people. I actually do not want to be friends with smokers. “But for you I will make an exception.” She responds: “But after this vape I will really stop, promised!”

Popular smoking spots

At the entrance of the Theil building, four smokers are standing who don’t want to cooperate with an interview. They do admit that this is their favourite smoking spot. “You have a view of the square and the water. Especially in summer it is nice here.”

Around the university library turns out to be the busiest smoking spot on campus. Not only students, but also school pupils from the neighbourhood light up a cigarette here. “My parents don’t know that I vape”, says a secondary school pupil by the pond. She didn’t know that a smoking ban applies on campus.

An mbo student of International Business walks up: “Do you maybe have a lighter?” There isn’t  one, but there are questions. And she’s happy to answer them. The 19-year-old regularly studies in the library and takes smoke breaks around the entrance. She was reprimanded by a security guard a few times. “They told me I had to stand a bit further away.” She points to the tennis court behind the library. “So I went there.”

A library employee who prefers not to share her name sees that happening often. “I see security guards asking smokers to stand a bit further away from the pond. Usually they then walk towards the tennis court.” She too sometimes reminds smokers of the ban. “Especially people who smoke near the entrance. The smoke drifts into the library and that can be annoying to visitors.”

‘Everyone keeps smoking anyway’

Under the footbridge between the library and the Theil building, Baturalp is smoking with a fellow student. “This is my regular spot. When I take a break while studying in the library, I come here and light two cigarettes”, says the psychology student. The two are aware of the smoking ban, but see little effect. “Everyone keeps smoking anyway, even lecturers”, says his fellow student. Baturalp nods. “If guards remind me, I put my cigarette out or walk somewhere else.”

Three students are standing close together, smoking in a small shelter near the entrance of the library. They don’t want to mention their name or programme. “Reminding smokers makes no sense”, one of them says. “Security guards or staff accost me very often. They don’t appreciate me smoking here. On the one hand I can understand that, but on the other hand I don’t really know where else I should go.” Walking further away is not an option according to her. “You just want to quickly smoke a cigarette and go back inside. That is why we stand here by the entrance, for us that is simply the fastest.”