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While UNM’s website still lists 12 designated smoking areas on campus, enforcement of the policy has gone null.
Robert Burford, student conduct officer at the office of the dean of students, said a nonsmoking committee “that was formed in the past” created the zones to reduce smoking on campus.
“There was this committee that designated several different areas on campus as ‘smoking areas’ for students, faculty and staff members,” he said. “And the intent was to have UNM at some point in the near future become a totally smoke-free environment.”
But Burford said the committee has since “discontinued to meet” because the chair of the committee, Pug Burge, retired.
“I don’t know who’s taking it on or if that’s going to continue as far as heading down the path of UNM becoming totally smoke-free or if we’re going to stay where we’re at with these smoking zones on campus,” he said.
According to UNM Policy 2250, smoking is prohibited anywhere on campus except in designated smoking areas as of Aug. 1, 2009. The policy states that the areas were created to provide a “positive transition for individuals who currently use tobacco as UNM phases into a totally tobacco-free environment.”
According to a representative from the Physical Plant Department, the cost for maintaining the zones is part of the groundskeeping budget for the campus.
Burford said the policy states smoking in the designated zones should be community enforced.
“If somebody sees somebody smoking outside of those zones … that person is supposed to talk to them and inform them about the smoking areas on campus,” he said. “That’s how it’s supposed to be enforced, and if people aren’t adhering to that, then they can send them over to our office and have our office deal with it via the Student Code of Conduct.”
The designated spots are located at the east side of Zimmerman Library, the area east of Northrop Hall, the area Near Parking Lot D between Hokona Hall and Laguna/Devargas Suites, the area between Coronado Hall and Redondo Village, the area at the Science & Technology Park, the area at Student Family Housing, under the footbridge over Lomas, on the north side of Lomas, on the west side of the Richardson Pavilion, designated areas at the Health Sciences Center, designated areas at UNM Stadium, designated areas at the Pit and the area at Continuing Education.
Burford said not many smokers have been sent to his office for violation of the policy.
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He said “only a handful (of smokers) over the course of the past two or three years since I started” have received complaints and were referred to his office.
Laura Boitano, a UNM sophomore majoring in political science, said she has seen smokers outside the designated smoking areas. She said smokers who don’t obey the policy can sometimes be a hassle to nonsmokers.
“Sometimes if you’re walking past and you’re not expecting it and someone blows smoke in your face, it’s kind of annoying,” she said. “If you’re not a smoker and you’re not used to that, it can be kind of irritating.”
But Boitano said she wouldn’t report somebody who smoked outside the designated zones even if she saw it.
Regina Venegas, a UNM freshman majoring in international studies, said she also sees people smoke outside the zones but that she would not report it either.
“I don’t think it’s that big of a problem because you’re going to pass it and the wind is going to blow it your way anyway,” she said.
Should a smoking committee recommence, Burford said it should decide whether smoking zones are still necessary.
“That’s not my call to make,” he said. “I think that should be a call made by the UNM community.”
