City college administration and Associated Student Government unveiled a “Smoke Free Campus” campaign last school year. No Smoking signs were posted but with no clear repercussions smokers continued to puff away all over campus.

This semester, the No Smoking signs have reemerged and yet again smokers are lighting up. Nobody seems to escape the secondhand smoke; they light up near classrooms, restrooms and busy stair ways.

One reason given for the smoking ban last school year was “For the Health of it,” clearly there are some concerns over people’s well-being but there is still no reinforcement.

In 2006, San Diego beaches and parks became no-smoking zones after City Council voted to ban the practice; like City College, Council cited public health.

According to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency 3,000 nonsmokers die every year of lung cancer due to secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Other cancers linked to ETS are bladder cancer, cervical cancer and nasal sinus cavity cancer.

Like the local beaches and parks, City College is a public zone and pregnant women and people with asthma take classes here. If this smoke free campus intent is going to work administration and campus police need to seriously get involved.

Smoking areas need to be designated and clearly marked, preferably in parking lots and away from common areas. Warning signs informing people of ticketing need to be posted around campus, a $20 ticket will probably stop people from smoking on people’s faces and right outside classrooms.

All new rules are hard to follow, but if the college is going to spend money on printing the NO Smoking signs then they should spend a few extra dollars and reinforce the ban.

Other community colleges in San Diego that have adopted the smoke-free campus are Mesa, Palomar, Grossmont and Cuyamaca.