Statewide campus smoking bans take effect today

Posted on July 1, 2015

By John Gregory/Illinois Radio Network

CHICAGO – Beginning today, you better be in your car if you’re smoking on campus at one of Illinois’ public colleges.

Otherwise, you’re violating the Illinois Smoke Free Campus Act, which goes into effect on Wednesday. Kathy Drea, lobbyist for the American Lung Association of Illinois, said the state is the fourth to prohibit smoking on campus property, and believes students and faculty won’t take long to get used to the ban.

“There’s a transition time, for sure,” Drea said. “People generally adjust to them very quickly, just like they adjusted to smoke-free public places and restaurants and things like that, and soon, people will expect those areas to be smoke-free.”

The only exception to the ban is if you’re in a car either driving or parked on campus.

Illinois State and Heartland Community College both went smoke-free earlier this year.

The law only applies to public institutions, though Drea said many of the state’s private colleges have already put similar smoking bans into place on their own.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…