On Campus Blog

Southwest Minnesota State goes tobacco-free

xavierla via Flickr

No tobacco here

Southwest Minnesota State University freshman Samantha Abens tells the Marshall Independent what she thinks of the campus' new tobacco-free policy, which kicked in Jan. 1:

"I like the new policy a lot. A lot of students come into class smelling like smoke, or they'd be smoking right by the door when you come in, so you smell like smoke, too. I like it way better."

Oddly, I'd never thought of the chewers' role in the anti-tobacco campaign. Looks like they're grumbling, according to the Independent:

"I'm not a fan," said Erik Berdahl, an SMSU freshman who admits to chewing tobacco. "It sucks, but now I just have to go to a different place to do it because we can't do it on campus. I've heard other complaints from people who chew, including some of my wrestling teammates. I've tried to stop (chewing), but it's not easy."