I was ecstatic when Iowa State was to become a smoke free campus. Finally, I could walk into or out of buildings without facing that inevitable, searing assault on my lungs! No more stinging eyes! (Stick with me, smokers, I think you’ll appreciate my point in the end.)

Needless to say, I hate smoking, and I was upset when I started seeing offenders on campus. I responded by doing what I thought was the right thing and reported them to www.iowasmokefreeair.gov. I submitted one, then two, then dozens. Eventually the people screening the complaints contacted me, telling me that they are not going to fine Iowa State and that I need to report offenses to campus police.

Hold on a second. Let me see if I understand this correctly. You will revoke the liquor license of bar owners who fail to enforce the smoking ban, but when the state of Iowa fails to enforce the ban on its own property, nothing happens? Isn’t it hypocritical to say the least? How about insanely unfair?

Okay, well, if that’s the way you want to play it, fine. Next time I saw a smoker, I was ready.  

I saw one of the construction workers on campus sitting on a curb puffing away, so I dialed campus police. They told me that they aren’t the entity that enforces the rule. They transferred me to the office that they thought did. Wrong office. I got transferred again. By the time I was put in touch with the correct office, I was getting ticked. The lady who answered said the person who handles these complaints was out to lunch. “Isn’t the point to get here right away so you can catch the offender and issue them a ticket?,” I asked as I watched the human chimney from my car. Apparently not. When I got transferred to away-at-lunch lady’s voicemail, I gave up. I watched the guy throw down his cigarette and jump in a pickup truck to leave campus.

So it would seem Iowa State has no intention of enforcing this ban. I mean, they’ve done a great job of posting tiny 3-inch by 5-inch signs all over campus, but if just posting signs worked there would be no such thing as speeding tickets. So smokers: Smoke up, because unless and until Iowa State starts issuing tickets through campus police, there is no reason to respect this “ban.”

Larissa Boeck

Sophomore