NIU smokers are out-of-hand with their cigarettes.

Ashleigh McLernon, freshman business undeclared major, Kayla Cardoza, freshman nursing major and Brittany Adams, freshman business management major, decided to address the issue of cigarette butts around their dorm.

Smokers at Grant South weren’t disposing of their butts in an ashtray located 15 feet away from the dorm. In reaction, the group of three girls carried the cement cigarette disposal container from the bottom of Grant’s steps to the doors.

“I really was just sick of seeing cigarette butts all over the patio,” Cardoza said. “I was really embarrassed to show my parents the outside conditions of Grant.”

The girls had turned the container on its side and rolled it up the wheelchair ramp.

“I would compare the weight of the cement cigarette disposal container to 10 cinder blocks,” McLernon said.

By moving the ashtray, the group wished to clean up their environment, and moving the ashtray did not violate the 15-foot law.

“It is not illegal to move the ashtray from the bottom of the stairs to the landing near the benches,” University Police Lt. Todd Henert said. “All that does is entice smokers to violate the law.

Each smoker is responsible for abiding by the smoking statute and remaining more than 15 feet away from the doors, windows or air intake vents.

When the ashtray was not between the benches, however, smokers still broke the 15-foot law. What good is a law if people don’t obey it?

“The University Police take enforcement action when we see violations happening, but most people adjust their behavior when they see the police are present in the area,” Henert said.

No one likes looking at cigarette butts; as a demonstration, three girls made a change that everyone noticed. Now Grant South has a cleaner smoking section.

“Although it is against the law to be so close to the doors while smoking this is the only thing that has worked and showed room for more improvement,” Jason Podlasek, freshman business undeclared major, said.

The amount of cigarette butts outside dropped.

Moving just one ashtray made such a large difference that moving ashtrays closer to smokers appears logical.

“Many smokers do smoke the legal amount of feet from the doors,” Michael Stang, exceutive director of housing and dining, said.

Still, if that statement were true, why would anyone think to move an ashtray? The 15-foot law only appears weaker when not enforced.

Stang said Grounds Control would move the ashtray back, but currently that has not happened.
The question stands: if a law is not enforced or followed, what is the point? Is a presentable campus too much to ask for?

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