Ohio U. ‘Not a Police State’ Even Though Admins Banned Smoking, Will Force Cessation On Non-Compliers

Administrators at Ohio University are working to
eliminate smoking—cigarettes and e-cigarettes—from
campus. Starting next year, smoking will be absolutely prohibited
on university property. No designated smoking areas, nothing.
Similar polices have gone into effect at many campuses, of course,
and while they are vexing to libertarians (and smokers, obviously),
they don’t seem to be going away anytime soon.

Like smoking prohibitions at other campuses, there is no
specific punishment for people who violate it. Administrators
wouldn’t want OU to “become a police state,” according to OU Vice
President Ryan Lombardi.

Does this sound like a police state to you? From
The Athens News:

Lombardi said the university plans to use a “community,
Good-Samaritan kind of model” to enforce the smoking ban. He said
the school currently has no specific plans for disciplinary action
for students who smoke on campus, outside of repeat offenders being
sent to OU’s Office of Community Standards to “talk to
somebody.”

… Lombardi said he wants language to be clear from day one of
a student’s attendance, or employment, at OU that smoking is not
allowed. He said students’ bosses at campus jobs can discipline
those who repeatedly break the rule.

Lombardi said a series of campus initiatives are planned to
notify students and employees of the new smoking ban throughout
this coming year. He said the university is also looking at
creating a number of smoking cessation programs and classes to help
students quit. Attendance could be mandatory after a certain number
of times a student is caught smoking on campus.

Not a police state, just administrators of a government
education agency informing students they can’t smoke on public
property, they are discouraged from smoking at all, and they should
definitely check out these classes and products to help them quit.
Just, you know, if they want.

Hat tip: The
College Fix