Everett Community College, located in the midst of a nice residential area in North Everett, is considering a change in its smoking policy.
Administrators are considering making EvCC a non-smoking campus. Do the administrators of the college believe that going smokeless will make all the sinful smokers quit? No, it will send the sinful smokers into the residential streets surrounding the college to light up and stomp their butt out on the ground, sidewalk and street or in your driveway. Relations between homeowners and the college have seen their fair share of tensions. Now another one lurks.
I cringe at the thought of all the smokers invading the streets surrounding the college. I don’t envy the area homeowners spending their weekends picking up cigarette butts. Cigarette butts in the tulips, yuck!
EvCC conducted a survey on this change. The survey was conducted during the December break while many students, staff and faculty weren’t on campus. The percentage of responses was low and you could answer the survey multiple times. Participants were forced to make a yes or no answer, no choice for a response of “no opinion.”
Homeowners have a right to have their homes and property free from the butts, litter and trash. Will EvCC monitor smokeless tobacco too? Will chunks of “chew” be spit out on the sidewalks around campus?
EvCC should keep designated smoking areas, not force students, staff and faculty into residential areas for a break, a cigarette, a snack or lunch, leaving homeowners to clean up.
Elizabeth Henry
Marysville
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