Vice Chancellor Rod Carr has given a green signal to Canterbury University's proposed “smoke-free campaign”. He stated that it will come into effect by 2011.

In a report sent by Carr to the University Council, he wrote that the implementation of the proposed plan would need the full support of the staff. The existing policy allows smokers to smoke, but only in a few areas that are assigned around the campus.

Marija Vidovich, Health Sponsorship Council Manager, is happy about the new idea. She thinks that the plan will help cutting the number of smokers and also encourage those who are willing to give up smoking.

Grant Hocking, Health Promoter for Action on Smoking and Health, shared Vidovich’s thoughts.

“It makes no sense for institutes educating nurses, doctors, health professionals, sports professionals and future leaders, and allowing smoking to be undertaken alongside this education”, he said.

But there were detractors of the idea as well. Conrad Rupp, a smoker, was of the opinion that the new plan would not help people not take up smoking just because of the ban.

He said that the plan only looks good on paper but in reality, it is not a genuine solution.