The student newspaper of Bucks County Community College

The Centurion

The student newspaper of Bucks County Community College

The Centurion

The student newspaper of Bucks County Community College

The Centurion

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College places restrictions on use of e-cigarettes around campus

Bucks President Dr. Stephanie Shanblatt
Bucks President Dr. Stephanie Shanblatt

Students who use electronic cigarettes are now subject to the same restrictions as regular smokers, Bucks President Dr. Stephanie Shanblatt announced during the final Open Forum of the academic year.

This announcement came alongside news of changes in policies regarding the children of Bucks faculty and staff.

Under a new college policy, electronic cigarettes would be banned from being used anywhere on campus besides the parking lots, just like regular cigarettes.

“Surely I would rather have the students vape than smoke, but as a new student it is hard to understand where I can and cannot smoke a cigarette when I see people vaping everywhere,” Shanblatt said when asked about the new policy.

Some worry the restriction will force students who are using e-cigs as a way to quit smoking to spend time around regular smokers, making their effort to kick the habit more difficult.  As one female student who preferred to remain anonymous said, “It’s just water vapor, and doesn’t really smell at all. I know that my friend who vapes finds it hard to be around people who are smoking regular cigarettes and usually asks to bum one from them.”

However, the majority of students interviewed agree with Shanblatt. Jonathan Krejnin, 22, an art major from Holland said, “I think it’s fair, even though its not tobacco, it’s still smoke and it’s unpleasant.”

He added, “It just makes the most sense that way, just make it all types of smoking across the board in the parking lots. If you want to use nicotine you should be subject to the same restrictions as regular smokers, in my opinion.”

Liam McAllister, 24, a business major from Yardley, had similar thoughts. “In my opinion people who smoke E-Cigs shouldn’t have any special treatment because they decide to vape, they are still choosing to smoke in a way, and it looks just as bad.  I think it’s best to keep it in the parking lots with the regular cigarettes.”

McAllister added, “Also all this talk about how there is no second-hand smoke, I don’t know if I believe it. Electronic cigarettes just came into existence; nobody truly knows how dangerous they are yet, so really nobody can say if whether or not there is second-hand smoke.”

Shanblatt also announced a new policy barring the underage children of Bucks faculty and staff from visiting their parents during work hours. This would effectively end the common practice of allowing faculty or staff members to bring their children into school and let them hang out.

Other changes being discussed included the new signs being put up around campus, and a yet to be determined number of foreign exchange students from China visiting campus this summer.

The forum was held on June 4 in Founders 140.  More than 50 faculty and staff members attended, along with one student.