Filed at 10:20 PM

As a response to the dozen campus fires that have occurred on campus this semester and complaints about secondhand smoke, the Ithaca College offices of Public Safety and Residential Life are taking measures to create designated campus smoking areas — a smart move if executed correctly.

New York state law mandates smokers must stay at least 25 feet from a building. The college has no formal policy about smoking near residence halls but has designated locations near academic and administrative buildings where people can smoke. The proposed policy would create areas away from residence hall dumpsters, where eight of the 12 fires have occurred.

Designated smoking areas prevent nonsmokers from exposure to secondhand smoke, moving smokers away from building entrances and areas of heavy student traffic. If such areas are not isolated, however, the benefits are null.

The college is encouraged to create designated smoking areas near residence halls if such conditions can be met without creating a burden of accessibility for those who wish to use the areas. Smoking areas should be within a reasonable walking distance but far enough from residence hall entrances. These areas should be monitored in order to ensure the new policy is implemented and that members of the campus community are using these areas.

Addressing campus fires by creating designated smoking areas is not enough, though. The college should also make more cigarette disposal boxes and move forward with its plans to educate the campus community about fire safety and awareness.

Creating designated smoking areas on campus is a productive measure toward ensuring healthy air quality for all and preventing more campus fires.