Despite the campus-wide tobacco ban, people are still smoking cigarettes around Washington University. Students and faculty alike have been slipping through the cracks, smoking on campus with few or no repercussions. Enforcement of the tobacco ban by the University has been severely lacking, and the penalties for smoking on campus are woefully unclear.

While St. Louis County has passed Proposition N, Washington University is continuing to prepare for the implementation of its smoking ban.

Debate over Washington University’s tobacco ban heated up last week during the first Controversy n’ Coffee of the school year, titled “Jumping on the ‘Ban’ Wagon: A Panel Discussion on Smoking Bans.”

St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley signed a bill on Friday to put a Washington University-backed smoking ban referendum on the November ballot, following weeks of heated County Council meetings and public debate.

Correction Appended Below The St. Louis County Council voted 4-3 Tuesday evening to approve a bill that would put a smoking ban on the November ballot, three weeks after Washington University endorsed the bill. The bill sponsor, Councilwoman Barbara Fraser, D-University, praised the council’s vote. The bill’s passage “means the same thing [to students] as [...]

The 2008-09 academic year at Washington University was one of many administrative, environmental, political and campus life-related changes. Issues and events that arose in the past two semesters will continue to play a role and affect students throughout this year. Several of these changes have been summarized below.

Following the introduction of a tobacco ban on all its campuses, effective July 2010, Washington University is endorsing a St. Louis County Council bill that would put a countywide, public indoor smoking ban on the November 2009 ballot.

Ashtrays soon will be a relic of bygone days at Washington University as all of the institution’s campuses move toward the implementation of a complete smoking and tobacco ban in July 2010.

Student Union Senate passed a resolution on Wednesday night to address the administration’s recent initiative to ban smoking on all Washington University campuses, effective July 2010.