[Investigative Report]
Smoking on Campus
by Lee Sang-yun, Society Reporter, syleee@mju.ac.kr
When you pass through the campus, you can see a lot of students who are against smoking etiquette. Although smoking booths are installed for the students who smoke, many students smoke outside of the booths or in non-smoking areas. Thus, over the years, there has been a controversy between smokers and non-smokers. So MJP conducted some research to find out about students’ recognition of smoking areas.
Before we look at the results of the survey, using the campus map, let's examine smoking booths, smoking areas and non-smoking areas.
Smoking booths are located in front of the Main college, fourth floor of the College of Administration in the Social Science Campus, in front of second floor of the Engineering Building, and the Science Building. Smoking areas near the Social Science campus are next to the Administration Building. Except for those locations, all of the other areas of the campus are non-smoking areas.
Even though there are many places to smoke, many students are keep smoking in restricted areas. For examples, behind the Main College, in front of the Central Library, in front of the Dormitory in the Social Science campus, in front of the second floor of the Engineering Building in the Natural Science campus, in front of the Institute of Continuing Education, behind the Main College, in front of Myongji building no. 2, in front of the 2nd Engineering building, and around the smoking booths.
Besides the places listed above, smoking while walking along the street is prevalent. This should be restricted for other pedestrians. Because it is obviously harmful to non-smokers’ health and also can cause inconsiderate of others.
Q1. Please check all places where smoking zones are located.
in front of the Dormitory, in front of the fourth floor of the College of Administration, in front of the Institute of Continuing Education, in front of the Main College, behind the Library
Q2. Please choose non-smoking zone.
in front of the Institute of Continuing Education, in front of the Field, Main college terrace, between the College of Administration and the Dormitory, behind the Main College.
Q3. Please choose a place that is not specified as a smoking area.
between the College of Administration and the dormitory, in front of the main college booth, in front of the College of Administration, behind the Library. behind the Main College
Q4. Recognition investigation for smoking areas
hope to increase the smoking areas, hope to maintain current smoking areas, hope to eliminate smoking areas
We examined smoking area problems at our school. So, what about other schools? MJP searched other university’s examples.
Ajou University, had 29 smoking areas originally, but its number has been reduced to 14 because of continuous complaints. Instead, they repaired smoking areas and added signs to increase the visibility for smokers and non-smokers. Hanyang University set up a smoking booth behind the new materials engineering school. There are total of three smoking booths that can accommodate 10 people. The installation cost for one booth is about 30 million won. Korea University and Chungang University are also operating smoking booths on campus.
And there is a special scholarship related to quitting smoking in some universities. That is, if a smoker becomes a non-smoker, the university will provide him or her with a scholarship. For example, Samyook University provides a ‘non-smoking scholarship.’ They provide 200,000 won if smokers pass a non-smoking test. The smoking test consists of an inspection of nicotine, and it lasts for 12 weeks, twice a week. Roughly 900 people registered last year, and 404 people succeeded in this program. Semyung University also provides non-smoking scholarships.
A campus is a place where smokers and non-smokers use together. Cigarette is an item of personal preference, but all of us have the right not to be harmed by smoking. Therefore, improvement of systems for smoker and their awareness of smoking areas are required.
Smokingon Campus 교정.docx