By Runa Lemminn

News Editor 

  Beginning Sept.1, California State University students, faculty, and staff who are used to taking a smoke break throughout the day are going to have to go off campus. 

  According to a memo from CSU Bakersfield President Horace Mitchell to students on Aug. 15, 2017, CSU Chancellor Timothy White issued an executive order for all CSU campuses to become smoke-free and tobacco-free. 

  This includes all devices that are smoke emanating, such as e-cigarettes and vaping devices, as well as any tobacco products.

  The order will affect all members of the general public who visit the campus as well. 

  The focus in the beginning will be to encourage people to stop using tobacco products with punitive measures to follow. 

  Public Affairs and Communications Specialist Veronica Catalan serves on the Tobacco Free Committee at CSUB, which is comprised of students, faculty and staff.    

  The committee has designed the “Breathe Freely” campaign for the CSUB campus. 

  “The goal is to offer the support system, if you will, to all the students, faculty and staff that are currently smoking and wish to seek help in finding ways to stop smoking,” said Catalan. 

  No smoking signs have already been placed in some of the traditional smoking areas.

  Some students support the new policy, while others have no opinion on the subject.

  “As a non-smoker, I can’t say it affects me…I’m on the fence about the situation. People should have the freedom to do as they please,”said Airica Carmon, a senior communications major. 

  Some smokers aren’t thrilled about the new policy at CSUB..

  A CSUB staff member who did not want to be identified, does not agree with the the new policy. 

   “I think it’s discrimination. I mean some people do it for stress, some people do it to relax, some people just do it to take a break. If you’re not intrusive, I don’t think it should be a big deal,” the staff member said.

  The process of moving to a smoke-free campus may prove to be easy, based on other schools that have already made the switch. 

  Paige Boyer, an administrative assistant for the Office of Alumni Engagement, spent her first years of college at the University of Oregon. 

  When the university switched to a smoke-free campus, she didn’t notice that people were too upset about it. 

  “Hopefully it will deter those students who have never done it,” said Boyer.

  Cessation programs will be held at the CSUB Student Health Center. 

  Anyone who would like more information regarding Breathe Freely can visit www.csub.edu/bas/hr/Smoke_Free_Campus/index.html