Leaning against the wall opposite the Humber bus stand, Ref Mitrovich pulls a vape out of his pocket and casually inhales a puff.
As he blows out, the no-smoking sign behind him stands in a resounding contrast to what he exhales.
He moves his JBL Tune 510 behind his left ear on being approached.
“I honestly had no idea this was a non-smoking campus until you mentioned it just now,” said Mitrovich, a landscaping student.
Humber College implemented a no-smoking policy on campus premises on Jan. 1, 2019, but it is not uncommon to find people on campus smoking.
The policy prohibits smoking on college property, including all campuses, buildings, spaces, grounds and residence facilities.
Margaret Fung, the occupational health and safety manager at Humber College, was a member of the decision-making committee when the policy was implemented.
“It’s a hard policy to enforce. People who smoke feel like they need to smoke it now, so they hide in corners and do it,” she said.
A smoker sneaks a cigarette in a no-smoking area at Humber Arboretum. Photo credit: Anusha Siddiqui
Under the Smoke-Free Campus Policy, the college has posted no-smoking signs at all exits and entrances, but the implementation remains flexible.
Fung said the college adopted the policy by the Smoke-free Ontario Act, 2017, Cannabis Control Act 2017, and the Okanagan Charter.
The Okanagan Charter describes itself as an international charter that promotes health and sustainability at educational institutions, contributing to well-being.
“I think there should be a designated area to smoke,” Mitrovich said. “I know smoking is not allowed. There are some lanes I go to, but you never know when a kid might come around.”
Institutions like Seneca College and York University have designated smoking areas to “counter secondhand smoke,” according to their official websites.
“It was something we looked at, that other people had designated smoking areas,” Fung said. “You would see that people are walking by the smoking areas and being exposed to the smoke.
“None of this is a perfect solution,” Fung said.
Simon Pundir, a Business Administration student, described himself as an active smoker of cannabis and cigarettes.
“I smoke (weed) in the Arboretum. It’s quiet, it’s open, it’s safe. I have never been told by the security in the Arboretum,” Pundir said.
The procedure against smoking is defined under the college’s Code of Conduct policy. The offence falls in the same category as possession of illegal drugs (2.1 Level 1).
Rob Kilfoyle, director of public safety and emergency management at Humber College, said his team of security guards is responsible for the enforcement of the rules in the college.
“People that don’t comply can be brought before the student Community Standards Group and can be charged with an offence under the policy adjudicated by the department,” he said.
“Penalties could be, a warning, a notation or in extreme circumstances, they could be banned from campus,” Kilfoyle said.
He said there have only been a handful of cases since the implementation of the policy where things have escalated to the final level.
Rules are stricter for employees because of the employee contract. Employees can be reported to their managers, and it can go up to the Conduct Officer, Kilfoyle said.
Max Manning, an Info Kiosk security guard, said the amount of smoking has remained the same as before since the implementation of the policy.
“When it’s cold, especially, people will smoke on the property or close, but in summer, they still do it in some corner, behind LRC, behind the plant or Arboretum,” Manning said.
He said that on getting caught, students say they did not know that Humber is a no-smoking campus. The guards let students go with a warning.
Kilfoyle said the college has taken an educational approach towards the prohibition of smoking.
“We tried to take a bit of an educational approach, not always to be heavy-handed,” Kilfoyle said.
Fung also referred to the educational approach.
“We can be much harsher and heavy-handed, but we are not making that choice for others,” she said.
“We’re not saying you can’t smoke. Just don’t do it on the property,” Fung said.
Pundir said that the stress of exams and assignments is his primary reason for smoking in college.
“I was smoking at the exit of the building near the parking lot,” he said. “A security person told me I’d not be allowed to graduate if I didn’t stop.
“I thought to myself, with the amount of pressure and stress, graduating is hard anyway,” Pundir said with a laugh.
“I am always on the lookout to find places to smoke because the Arboretum is far and there is only so much time between classes,” Pundir said.
Gabriela Yepez, the associate director of Mental Health and Counselling Services, said this is an addiction issue and the need for counselling is high.
“Counseling can always contribute, perhaps from an aspect of wellness, mental health management, and anxiety,” Yepez said.
She said it is the institution’s responsibility to provide support to help with addiction along with the responsibility of the individuals.
Kilfoyle said the policy is in place for the benefit of smokers and non-smokers alike and is not a problem big enough for the policy to warrant a change.
“It doesn’t make sense and the lines can get blurry. A lot of people smoke here. The hack is, you can smoke I guess, but don’t get caught,” Mitrovich said.
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