The University has designated 14 temporary zones for tobacco use, which will be in effect between January and August 2012 on main campus as part of the tobacco-free policy that will be implemented next semester.
The newly designated areas include the existing smoking area outside of Emory University Hospital near Clifton Road as well as areas outside the Woodruff Library, Dobbs University Center (DUC), the Math and Science Walkway, Tarbutton Hall, the Woodruff Residential Center, Clairmont Tower and the Student Health Services Building at 1525 Clifton Road.
Director of Communications and a member of the communications division of the task force David Payne, explained in an email to the Wheel that the transitional period is intended to allow smokers additional time to work towards cessation.
The added benefit, he said, is that the policy can eliminate tobacco’s effects on nonsmokers.
“It is hoped that a timely transition phase and the temporary transition zones will better prepare all on the campus for a tobacco-free environment,” Payne wrote. “The transition zones were created as a means to remove tobacco use from building entrances and public areas when the campuses move to tobacco free status.”
Though the tobacco ban will apply to all University and Healthcare properties, only the main campus and Emory University Hospital Midtown and the Briarcliff campuses will be implementing temporary smoking areas, while other University campuses, such as the Oxford campus, will not introduce any such temporary locations.
“Administrators at Oxford decided they want to go directly into the pol- icy with no temporary zones,” Payne explained.
The Tobacco-Free Task Force committee — appointed by University President James W. Wagner in 2010 and led by associate vice president of the Office of Planning, Design and Construction Steven Thweatt — deliberated for seven months before electing the zones to ensure that the most appropriate locations were cho- sen, Payne wrote.
According to a Nov. 14 article in the Emory Report, the task force looked for areas that were located about five minutes away from workspaces — which would be far enough away from entrances but close enough to buildings to avoid extended smoke breaks — while also trying to avoid areas susceptible to fires.
Thweatt mentioned in the Emory Report article that the committee also examined how other institutions, such as Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have been affected by similarly imposed policies, as well as how such policies have impacted neighboring property owners.
Popular existing smoking areas, such as those outside of Emory University Hospital and the Woodruff Library, were taken into consideration as well.
A comprehensive list of temporary tobacco-free locations can be found on the the University’s Tobacco-Free Emory webpage.
Designated smoking areas will be clearly marked with signage designed by the Campus Services graphics group.