New Tobacco Rules to Include E-cigs and Vape Pens on Campus

Source from:  Montana Kaimin 10/10/2015

Since the University of Montana's introduction of a tobacco free campus in 2011, there's been an increasing trend in students smoking e-cigarettes and vapor pens instead.

Whether outside a dorm, on the Oval or in classrooms, students are smoking e-cigarettes and vapor pens, which are commonly referred to as vape pens.

The tobacco free rule in the residence halls has been expanded to include e-cigarettes and vape pens this year, according to Kelly Magnuson, assistant director of Student Conduct and Programs at the University of Montana. Magnuson said there has already been 5 documented incidences of students smoking e-devices in the residence halls.

"This year is one of the first we talked about it, and it wasn't really in our handbook till this year," said Sandy Schoonover, director of Residence Life. Schoonover said the addition of this rule was mainly due to fire alarms triggered by the vapors from the e-devices.

E-cigarettes and vapor pens are different from traditional cigarettes because the user inhales a water vapor rather than smoke. Proponents of e-cigarettes say they do not contain carcinogens that traditional cigarettes have, but recently some carcinogens, such as Formaldehyde have been found in e-cigarettes.

Gordy Hughes, the Missoula fire marshal, said the vapors act just like smoke and affects smoke detector systems in the same way. "I would discourage the use of them indoors," he said.

Olivia Vanni, a junior at the University of Montana, said she has never gotten in trouble on campus for smoking e-cigarettes. "It was an easy way to get away with smoking in the dorms." Vanni said.

While both the residence halls and University Center have rules banning e-cigarettes and vape pens, the rest of campus does not, and are now deciding whether or not the entire campus should ban the device.

Linda Green, director of wellness and the committee chair of the Tobacco Task Force at the University of Montana, said e-cigarettes and vape pens weren't thought about when the University instituted its smoke free campus policy. Some places like the University Center decided to ban e-cigarettes, citing the tobacco free policy to provide a healthier environment.

Junior Alistair Bernhard said he doesn't care what the University decides to do. He started smoking a vape pen five months ago to replace the two to three packs of cigarettes he was smoking every week.

"You can't put them in the same category as cigarettes," he said. "You can't really get secondhand smoke from an e-cig."

Proponents of e-cigarettes argue that the use of e-devices can help smokers curb their addiction and provide a safe alternative to traditional smoking. Critics argue that e-devices can lead to new users who normally wouldn't be inclined to smoke a traditional cigarette. They also argue e-devices are just as dangerous as cigarettes.

Bernhard did say one of the reasons he began to smoke a vape pen was because he could smoke it inside and during class. "Sometimes when I'm in lectures, I'll sit in the back and puff it a little bit," he said.

While the University of Montana does not completely regulate the use of e-cigarettes and vape pens, it might start to do so in the future as popular opinion on campus changes. "We decided as a task force … to wait until there was more conclusive evidence," said Green. Enditem