Smoking on campus at Fresno State is only supposed to be allowed in 24 designated smoking areas.

It̢۪s called the Smoke-Free Campus Policy at Fresno State.

But there̢۪s a catch, no one is enforcing it.

The Office of Risk Management and Sustainability established a Web site where you can read the policy and look up the smoking areas. The policy, which started in 2003, even promises full enforcement yet has gone unnoticed.

“We put a map on [the Web site]. It’s interactive with pictures of all of the designated areas,â€Â Risk Management Office Administrator Tracey Garza said. “It can be very helpful, the signage is very small. [Its to educate] new students.â€Â

Initially, the smoking policy prohibited smoking within 20 feet of building entrances. Now the policy permits smoking only in designated areas, which are often placed near benches and ashtrays.

According to the Smoke-Free Campus Policy, “ The success of this policy will depend on the thoughtfulness, consideration, and cooperation of smokers and nonsmokers.â€Â

The restrictions laid down in university policy are not to be mixed up with University Police on campus. It̢۪s not the officers̢۪ job to tell smokers where to smoke.

“University Police don’t write citations for people smoking outside the designated areas,â€Â University Police Public Information Officer Amy Armstrong said. “We’re taking an educational approach. We won’t take disciplinary action.â€Â

That doesn̢۪t mean smokers should get too excited about violating the policy around University Police just yet.

“The University Police Department can issue citations,â€Â Vice President of Student Affairs Paul Oliaro, Ph.d, said. The University Police are taking an informal approach when it comes to enforcement.

“[We have] asked everyone on campus to take responsibility for enforcement by asking smokers to respect the policy and only smoke in the designated areas,â€Â Oliaro said.

Armstrong advised that when dealing with smokers who have wandered away from their permissible smoking area, be sure to ask them politely to move. They may not respond kindly if you make a bad impression.

“Smokers can be hostile, but you can remind them where the designated smoking areas are,â€Â Armstrong said.

“I haven’t heard of this policy before,â€Â engineering major David Smith said. Smith said he has cut back on smoking, but occasionally smokes while walking to and from class. He is not at all concerned about the university’s policy on smoking.

“If the smoke is bothering someone, they can just walk away,â€Â Smith. “Depending on how they ask, I might put the cigarette out.â€Â

Some non-smoking students would never bother to ask a smoker to put out a cigarette or move to the correct area, but they would like to be paid a certain amount of respect.

“It bothers me when smoke is blown on me, but I am not outspoken enough to tell someone to go to the designated areas,â€Â Toni Sandoval, a criminal justice major, said.

“Last month President John Welty asked the campus Wellness @ Work advisory team to review the policy and include input from interested students by the end of the Fall Semester,â€Â Oliaro said.

Smokers who would like to quit may be interested in some of the university̢۪s smoking cessation programs. Students, faculty and staff can find more information about these programs at the Health Center on campus.

You can find a copy of the Smoke-Free Campus Policy can be found at http://www.csufresno.edu/smoking

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