New Jersey bans smoking in college dorms

PRINCETON - Saying it would reduce the risk of fires and protect students' health, acting Gov. Richard J. Codey signed legislation Monday banning smoking in dormitories at public and private colleges. ``Today we are creating safer, healthier residence halls,'' Codey said in a written statement. The governor signed the legislation at Drew University in Madison where a cigarette ignited a dorm room fire on Feb. 14. Automatic sprinklers quickly knocked down the fire and no one was injured. The ban will go into effect in 60 days, and individual colleges will decide how to enforce it. According to a 2001 study by the Harvard School of Public Health, 27 percent of colleges prohibit smoking in student dormitories, and the study's author, Henry Wechsler, said the number has gone up since then. Wechsler praised the New Jersey ban. While it might not encourage serious smokers to quit, his research has shown that such bans may keep many students from starting in the first place, Wechsler said. ``We found that students who do not smoke before college and go into nonsmoking dorms are less likely to take up smoking,'' said Wechsler. It is unclear how many students will actually be affected by the legislation since many colleges and universities in the Garden State already have dormitory smoking bans in place. According to Jason Butkowski, spokesman for the Senate Democrats, all public institutions banned smoking in dormitories after a fire at Seton Hall University in January 2000 killed three students. Although the Seton Hall fire was not blamed on careless smoking, it prompted additional safety measures, including a law requiring sprinkler systems in college dorm rooms. Among New Jersey's private universities, Seton Hall, Princeton and Rider already have banned smoking in dorm rooms or were planning to before the governor signed the legislation. Princeton's ban on smoking in undergraduate dormitories will go into effect when students come back from vacation this fall. ``I think it's a good idea because no one wants to have a smoke smell in their room and it does linger around,'' said Gabrielle Moore, 19, a psychology student from Plainfield. Another student said she was torn about whether the ban was a good idea. ``I don't like being around smokers,'' said Diana Weiner, 20, a chemical engineering student from Florida. ``But it does make it hard, to make them go outside in the winter when it's really cold.'' Starting this fall, about 2,225 students who live on-campus at Rider University in Lawrenceville will not be able to smoke in their rooms either. According to Anthony Campbell, associate vice president for student affairs, the ban came about after a survey of the school's students showed that more than 60 percent wanted smoke-free dorms. ``We think it will keep people from starting,'' said Campbell. And, he said, the ban will make the campus safer. ``They can fall asleep in bed or flick a cigarette in a trash can and start a fire,'' he said. Campbell said the university is still working out penalties for violators, although the fine for first-time offenders will probably be about $50.