University students campaign for a smoke free campus
July 22, 2005While organisers are well aware that reducing the number of smokers is an uphill task, their main aim is to ban the sale of cigarettes on campus
By Sara Asad
AMMAN — Students and faculty members at the University of Jordan have decided to take a stand in protest against what they say is the campus’s increasingly smoke-polluted atmosphere.
Sinan Al Khatib, one of the student organisers, said the committee responsible for organising the campaign has put together a petition calling on the university administration to ban smoking on campus and forbid the sale of cigarettes.
“We hope this will be a step to a cleaner campus environment,” said Khatib.
The campaign, which ran from Monday to Wednesday, also featured discussion sessions providing helpful tips to those wishing to quit the habit.
Sessions featured speakers such as Amjad Korsha, from the faculty of Sharia, chest disease specialist Abdul Rahman Al Anani and President of the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts, Jamal Al Anani.
A part of the campaign a walk was organised under the theme “of course we can.”
In addition, Pfizer Consumer Health Care, a company that aims to reduce the number of smokers, handed out “Nicorette” to students, which is thought to make quitting easier.
While organisers are well aware that reducing the number of smokers on campus is an uphill task, their main aim is to ban the sale of cigarettes, and more importantly, to enforce rules that already exist, but are ignored, even by faculty and professors, and university officials.
Although no smoking signs are to be found in some of the campus’ buildings and toilets, they are completely ignored, said the organisers.
Organisers said the majority of smokers on campus are male, but an increasing number females also smoke, albeit more discreetly.
“I don’t think I would ever be comfortable smoking on campus; I smoke at home around my parents, but smoking at the university, for a female would result in finger pointing, and possibly even name calling,” one female smoker told The Jordan Times.
She said many females on campus smoke but prefer to do it in the toilets, away from watchful eyes.
Some students interviewed by The Jordan Times were pessimistic about the chance of the campaign having any positive effect on reducing the number of smokers on campus.
Lana Janho, a non-smoker, said the campaign would be ineffective and would not bring about any change on campus.
According to Ministry of Health figures, an estimated one-third of the population are smokers. 48 per cent of Jordanian males over the age of 25 smoke, while the proportion of female smokers in the same age group is18 per cent. Figures also reveal that 34 per cent of the country’s doctor’s are smokers.
Two thumbs up. While results may not be significant as it takes more than one campaign of course but surely thats a great step forward. I’m so happy and really proud!
