TO THE EDITOR:
Thank you for Erin Friederichs’ March 1 article about UNC’s No Smoking Policy.
Notably the policy is so named and not limited to establishing a 100 feet from a facility free-to-smoke zone.
Section II of the policy states: “This policy applies to all University visitors, patients, students and employees, including faculty, EPA non-faculty, staff and student employees. It is the responsibility of every member of the University community to conduct himself or herself in compliance with this policy.”
Section III states in part: “The University will post signs about the policy appropriately throughout campus ...”
Section V states: “All University departments and work units must establish procedures that include identification of the employee(s) responsible for understanding the policy, being able to educate visitors, patients, students and employees, and assisting in enforcement, as needed. The Office of Human Resources can assist departments in developing their procedures.”
Countenancing ashtrays and chairs around the Polk Place flagpole to make public smoking there more convenient and comfortable would seem to violate these policy provisions.
Also of note the hospital and health sciences campus are meant to be entirely smoke free.
Faculty and students genuinely concerned about smoking as a health and safety issue should speak up and seek change.
