JJC Smoking Ban in Effect

The students of Joliet Junior College are aware that school officially starts on Aug. 24, but some students might not be aware of the new tobacco ban that went into effect on July 1, 2015.

This law was passed in August of last year by former governor Pat Quinn. The law indicates that both smoking and all tobacco products are completely banned from all school campuses statewide.

The law does, however, exempt smoking in cars by the owners. Anyone caught smoking or using any tobacco on school grounds, while not in their cars, will receive a $250 fine for their transgression.

Since the law has been in effect, a majority of the students have either not noticed any difference or seem to be satisfied by it, because of the reputation of smoking has.

“Smoking has a bad effect on people,” said a JJC Student, who occasionally smokes. “People who do smoke shouldn’t encourage others to smoke.”

Other students of course, feel differently. One such student, Cassie Malkowski, who is a former smoker herself, feels that “they should have kept the designated smoking areas for people who smoke and have a hard time quitting.”

Former JJC and current University of Illinois student, Abbie Claycomb, feels that the ban is a bit extreme.

“It kind of gets rid of the free will of it all,” she said. “The designated smoking areas did not have a high traffic of people and colleges getting rid of smoking should not be a big issue to focus on.”

Professor Thomas Feldman, a science teacher at JJC, feels that it is a great idea to have this ban in place and feels that the ban is not extreme at all. Feldman went on to say, “If it is extreme for those that do smoke, how about those that don’t smoke.”

“People do have a right to smoke, but when you’re addicted don’t tell me that you do it to relax. You do it because you are addicted to the nicotine,” Feldman added.

The Smoking ban, as of right now, does not seem to be a huge issue to the majority of the students at JJC. As the fall semester continues, people will still have an urge to smoke, and with that urge things may begin to unravel about the ban.