SMOKING SHELTER: PEEPING THROUGH MIRROR
Friday, 22 January 2010 00:13 | 
Purpose of Research:
Present Scenario:
According to a survey by the APU Administration, roughly around 13% of APU students smoke habitually. Speaking in numbers, there are around 458 smokers in APU. Japanese students dominate the smokers with almost 3 out of 4 smokers being Japanese. Also, the smoking rate among Japanese is slightly higher, by a percentage point, compared among the foreign students. However, the smoking rates among Koreans and Americans is more than double the APU average. The research also shows that the rate of smoking among staffs and professors is similar (11%) to that of students.
From a different perspective, it seems that the rate of smoking goes on increasing from new enrollees to 3rd year students. In average, 6% of first semester students smoke which reaches to more than 40% during 5th semester. So, it can be reasonably said that quite a significant proportion of students start smoking at APU.
Before smoking shelters were constructed, members of APU could smoke anywhere in the campus premises. The Amphitheatre, outside the FII building among others used to be the hot areas of smoking. Though Professor of Society and Law, Askew David feels that university is treating students like ‘child’, why is the university determined to regulate and then ban smoking? Concerned with the health of ‘non-smokers’ (and smokers), and the effect of indirect smoking, APU decided to do so and created two smoking areas, one in front of the F Building and the other at the entrance of the Multipurpose Ground.
Aims of APU:
2010/04/01: smoking ban for professors
2013/04/01: total ban of smoking
With these targets in mind, apu is organizing different health related campaigns, separating of smokers from no-smokers, preventing non smokers to smoke and coordinating with other no-smoking programs.
However, according to Mr. Imamura Yoshihiro of the administration , it is ‘difficult to say that this campaign has solved the smoking problem’ but has certainly helped. And it is confident that the mission can be accomplished within the timeframe successfully.
Smoking Shelter: Students View
The APU Times conducted a sample survey regarding APU Students’ view on the Smoking Shelter. 51 students were asked out of which one declined to anwer. We asked the students whether they supported the smoking shelter, if the existing shelters are enough and if smoking should be banned altogether. The finding is presented in the following graph.
From the graph, it can be clarly seen that a landslide majority of students (almost 9 out of 10) supported the idea of Smoking Shelter. Considering that only around 12% of APU Students smoke, it shows that both smokers and non-smokers support this idea. Du Le Thy Tien, HEALS’11, feels that ‘non smokers should be prevented from the effect of indirect smoking to make a healthy environment for all’. According to a different research done by Student Voice, another circle at APU, which confirmed this data and found that everybody wanted ‘non-smokers’ to stay away from the impact of smokers while smokers could enjoy their freedom.
Similarly, ideas were split on the adequecy of smoking areas. However, according to the same research by Student Voice, a significant proportion of smokers feel that the existing two ‘shelters’ are not enough at all and are overtly crowded. They came up with the conclusion that the numbers should be increased and so should be the location (which we will talk later in the report).
Finally, more than 3 out of 5 students feel that ‘though they may support smoking shelter, they are against total ban of smoking’. One such student, Konjyok Tamba Lama, ICT’10, who does not smoke, opines that ‘while it is extremely important to safeguard the non smokers, the right of smokers should also be considered, since it is not banned by law.’ However, the supporters of the ban put forward health concerns.
Smoking Shelter: Location
More than the number, the location is a big concern. Currently, as stated earlier, they are placed beside F Building and at the entrance of Multi Purpose Ground. However, many students feel that the location of the former is not ideal. It is the most noticiable part of the university and a popular venue for students to meet. Whenever somebody visits APU, he/she is likely to see it which gives a bad image of the University. Also, the sheer number of students who cross and forth the area makes them vulnerable to the smoke. On top of that, lof of students, especially during breaks, seem to smoke outside due to its limited capability.
Hence, Student Voice, based on its survey, advises that the smoking areas be moved away where not many students gather and be evenly distributed to all parts of univeristy. That would also discourage some smokers, apart from the
benefits to non-smokers. According to their research, the areas identified as the ideal location for smoking shelter is shown in the map below.
For details: contact Student Voice, YANAGIHARA Akira
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Students’ Concern:
This campaign has been carried out by APU primarily for the sake of students but the irony is that the students were not even consulted once. It is not that the students do not support ‘smoking shelter’, however, they are left behind while making the decision which caused repercussions in the students. Also, a few students complain that APU has not given due consideration to ban ‘under age smoking’, which is against the law. Mr. Imamura from administration admits that though under age students are advised and encouraged not to smoke, no specific effort has been done to identify and control such illegal smoking.
Conclusion:
APU has taken a right step towards making its environment healthy and has considerable support from university and students alike. However, the decision was taken in a hassle without consulting the students, smokers and non-smokers, the major stakeholders of this decision. Also, there are certain concerns associated with the ‘smoking shelter’ like its number and location which could be discussed further and appropriate measures taken. Also, its not only the matter of ‘smoking shelter’, there are other important issues like underage smoking which need to be addressed.
Japanese Summary
2008年9月、ＡＰＵは喫煙場所の規制を始めた。The APU Timesの調査によると、全体の約13％のＡＰＵ生が喫煙を行っていることがわかった。喫煙シェルターが建てられる以前、ほとんどのＡＰＵ生はキャンパス内の所定の場所で煙草を吸うことができた。しかし、喫煙者と煙草を吸わない人の健康、また受動喫煙の影響を考え、ＡＰＵは喫煙シェルターを設置した。初めは、その一つのシェルターの中でしか煙草を吸うことができなかったが、今では他に喫煙スペースが二つ、設けられている。禁煙化の目標として、2010年4月1日までの教職員の禁煙、2013年4月1日までに校内全面禁煙化を掲げている。
同調査によると、10人中9人が喫煙シェルターに支持しているが、同じ10人中、6人は全面禁煙化に反対している。また、喫煙者は喫煙シェルターだけでは、混雑しすぎるため不十分だと言っている。さらに、喫煙シェルターの場所についても考慮の余地があるのではと述べている。その理由は、まず多くの学生が通るため受動喫煙の機会が多くなってしまう。次に、喫煙シェルターの場所が大学への訪問者にとって目につきやすい場所のため、多くの人が煙草を吸っている姿が、悪印象になりかねないからだ。
この喫煙シェルターは、第一の目的として学生の健康のために行われ始めたものだったはずだ。しかし学生との相談や話しあいの場があまり設けられてこなかった。また、大学は未成年者への喫煙禁止の呼びかけをあまりしていない。この喫煙シェルターは、学内環境の改善のため良いステップではあるが、未だに課題は多い。それらを解決し、学びの場として本当に良い学内環境を築いていきたい。
キャンパス全面禁煙に向けて、立命館学園は以下の指針を掲げている。
「喫煙者の多くが大学時代に喫煙習慣を身につけている。この状況を変革することを通じて、喫煙人口の減少に貢献することは、大学の社会的責務である。」
POUDEL, Santosh Sharma, ISS’12
HAKIMOV, Djahangir, APM’11
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Last Updated (Friday, 22 January 2010 00:20)
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