By Gabriela Resto-Montero
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — The trustees of the City University of New York voted to extend its indoor smoking ban to all outdoor spaces in its 23-campus system Monday night.
All CUNY campuses ban smoking indoors and in university vehicles, but the proposal approved Monday night would extend the ban to all spaces where CUNY students receive instruction, all outdoor spaces, including playing fields, and wherever university employees work. The ban would take effect in Sept. 2012.
The new policy also bans any tobacco marketing on campus or tobacco sponsorship of athletes.
"Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the world today — and in New York City — and this action will further reduce exposure to tobacco and improve public health," said Chancellor Matthew Goldstein and board member Benno Schmidt in a joint statement Monday.
The NYC Coalition for a Smoke-Free City applauded the move.
"As one of the largest and most diverse student populations in the country, CUNY is taking a strong stand to protect the health of all their students. This is a dynamic decision to protect students and take an active step towards a healthier learning environment – they have the Coalition’s complete support."
A task force convened by Goldstein will take public comment on the proposal through September.
"If you want to do it, take it a block down," said student Alexandra Brito, 20, a sophomore at the John Jay of Criminal Justice.
"But right in front of the school is a little disrespectful," Brito said.
"No Smoking" signs posted at the entrance of John Jay on West 58th Street and 10th Avenue prevented students, staff and faculty from lighting up in front of the entrance, but some students said that people don't always adhere to the rule.
"I see people smoke in front of the doors and security guards don't do anything," said Andy Wong, 21, a junior at John Jay.
"It's going to come down to enforcement," said Wong, who studies criminal justice at the school.
Not everyone supported the idea of the ban.
A John Jay College instructor who declined to be named said CUNY's proposal to ban all smoking at the school was a violation of civil liberties and that the effects of second-hand smoke in a city as congested at New York are overblown.
"We are adults and this is a college," he said. "We're allowed to make our own decisions."
In an open letter published by CUNY, officials said reducing the amount of second-hand smoke at the school as well as helping current smokers quit were all reasons to support the ban.
University officials will accept public input into CUNY's tobacco policy through Sept. 30 — but the website set up to accept comment showed an error message Monday afternoon.
