Safety concerns over Monash University smoking ban

By SHING HIM NG

Safety concerns are being raised after Monash University announced it would go completely smoke-free in 2016 by removing all designated smoking areas.

With 27 per cent of 18-24-year-old Australians still smoking on a daily basis, many students are likely to be affected by the ban.

Monash University economic and finance student Rick Tong said he was concerned by the plan for a total smoking ban at Monash University.

“I don’t think there is a need to pose a total ban … it would be inconvenient for the smokers to walk off campus to smoke.”

Unlike RMIT University, where students can smoke on the brightly lit and busy main roads of the CBD, Monash Clayton campus is located in suburban Clayton where the streets  outside the campus can be dark and empty at night.

Monash Clayton student Darren Lim said he was concerned about the risks if they were forced off campus for smoke breaks at night.

“We have a lot of smokers living in Clayton campus’s residential halls or study late at night during extended library hours … it becomes a real safety concern if Monash starts forcing smokers to smoke off campus,” he said.

Monash Clayton campus security guard Kelvin Palmer said smokers were safe as long as they stayed near the university.

“We have security cars patrolling inside and also around the university … therefore smokers should be safe as long as they keep close to the university at night,” Mr Palmer said.

As a smoker living in the residential halls, Mr Lim is still not convinced.

“I barely see security cars patrolling outside the campus,” he said. “I hope the school can make sure we are safe to smoke outside.”

Monash University Arts student and smoker Luke Oliver said he supported Monash’s campaign to go smoke free.

“Although the smoking points have already protected other students from second-hand smoke … if the school thinks that there is a need for a total ban, I would comply with it,” he said.

“It is unfair for the non-smokers to face the second-hand smoke.”

Monash will be the latest in numerous Victorian universities to bar this addictive habit.

LaTrobe University went smoke free at the end of May last year, RMIT and Deakin also initiated the ban at the end of December 2014.

RMIT University design student Jerry Man said the smoke-free campaign at RMIT had helped to improve the university’s environment.

“Students were forced to smoke on Bowen and Swanston St. No one smokes in the campus anymore since the smoking ban started last year … although there were still a few of smokers not following the rules,” he said.

“But generally, the campus environment has been improved because students were away from the second hand smoke after the smoking ban, and also less cigarette butts on the floor.”

Monash University’s director of environmental sustainability Paul Barton said the university was well aware it needed to provide a safe place for smokers to go off campus.

“We are working with our facilities' people at the university but also the local council to ensure the places that students and staff go would have security cameras available,” Mr Barton said.

Monash would like the total smoking ban to begin in the first semester of 2016 in order to have a fresh start to the beginning of the academic year.

Any students with questions or opinions on the smoking ban are directed to contact the Monash Student Association at both Caulfield and Clayton campuses.