UMass bans smoking on campus

AMHERST,Mass.(WWLP) - By the summer of 2013, the campus of UMass Amherst will be a tobacco free zone.

The faculty senate Thursday afternoon voted for a campus wide smoking ban.

Neither students, nor faculty, will be allowed to smoke anywhere on campus or in their cars while driving on campus..

A surprising number of students came out to voice their opposition during the vote.

Those students told 22News the ban is a violation of their rights and will be difficult to enforce.

Kelly Jo Fuller told 22News, "I think that people are going to continue to smoke. I think more people will be pushed to smoke inside of their rooms, which does create a fire hazard."

Faculty health council member, Wilmore Webley, told 22News, "on any university campus you're walking in and out of buildings and you're walking through a cloud of smoke.  Second hand smoke kills nearly 50,000 Americans every year."

"I don't know if a whole smoking ban is the best idea, but at least they should enforce the 20 feet from all buildings law; they don't do that," UMass sophomore Stephanie Mann told 22News.

The smoking ban goes into effect July 1, 2013.

Students or faculty who violate the ban will face, so-far, unspecified sanctions.