Campus Anti-Smoking Policy Won't Be Enforced
Rodrigo Mejia
Posted on: 1/22/09 Section: News
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"The state law itself basically prohibits smoking inside any district facility. Now we had this on the books since 2003, we just never enforced it," said Director of Public Relations Juan Gutierrez.
The campaign, headed by the Health and Services Department under the title, "No Buts, No Butts," lists the details of both the prohibited areas of smoking and the potential penalties if disregarded. One such clause states citations for violations will be issued as of January 2009. However, citation refers to a warning and not a ticket or fine.
According to Gutierrez, the most the campus could do under current bylaws is issue a warning to smokers in violation of the policy and pursue repeat offenders with a reprimand from the school, but not a fine.
"Since it's a district policy, I don't think anything really came up to fines. It's basically one of those warnings and if someone continues to refuse then its one of those things where you take the next step," said Gutierrez.
The reason why this issue is being restated is that now - as opposed to 2003 - the campus has the resources and manpower to apply the policy.
However, the problem keeping the hands of the PCCPD tied when trying to impose fines is that the state law outlines where smoking is to be barred, but it leaves the issue of implementation up to each municipality to create an ordinance that police could use in levying fees.
The city of Pasadena has passed an ordinance banning smoking from public venues such as restaurants or public gatherings, but as far as state-run facilities such as PCC, there is no such ruling.
"I was hoping that [Pasadena] would have a code, since, being in Pasadena, we could have fallen back on that," said Lt. Brad Young of campus police.
The campus cannot solve the issue itself either, according to Lt. Young:
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
BBob
posted 1/23/09 @ 5:39 PM PST
I knew it. When they announced that they would finally start enforcing the rule that has been posted for quite some time, I knew that nothing was going to change. (Continued…)
BBoby
posted 1/28/09 @ 1:22 PM PST
Hey BBob-Boy !
1. This was not a police policy. It was a district policy.
2. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has just advised campus police to begin issuing citations to smokers under California Government Code Section 7597 !
And you knew nothing "was going to change?"
Rita Miles
posted 2/09/09 @ 9:52 PM PST
I returned to PCC to continue my education after my kids were grown. How suprised I was to see the students leaning on the building and lighting up like there were no smoking within 20 feet werent even posted. (Continued…)
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