As from 1 August 2020, no one will be allowed to smoke on any grounds belonging to universities and universities of applied sciences. So, another eighteen months and there will be no more smoking, under government regulations, close to the university buildings.
Not all students are happy with that prospect. “The government is intervening too much in our personal freedom of choice”, says a history student, who’s lighting up in front of the Lipsius Building.
He doesn’t want his name in the paper because his parents don’t know he smokes. “I can understand the government wanting to protect people more and more, but this is too much. Where will it end? Are they going to ban eating meat or drinking booze?”
Another anonymous, smoking history student adds: “You’re more or less quarantined if you smoke. I think it’s going too far.”
Would they move to another spot to smoke if they were asked politely in eighteen months’ time? ‘Yes, but it would depend on the measures that follow. I think the rule will be hard to enforce if there are no sanctions.” And the ultimate aim of the policy, i.e. to stop people from smoking, would not have any effect on these students. “I’m certainly not going to stop when the university implements the ban.” So, when is he? “When a packet of cigarettes costs ten Euros.”
A short distance away, in front of the university library, Maurits van Breukelen (23, Japanese), is sitting on a bench, smoking a cigarette. He hadn’t heard of the plans but thinks it’s quite a good idea. “It’s better for everyone’s health. It wouldn’t make me stop, I’d just go somewhere else. And it’s a bit odd, anyway, if you stand a few metres away, you can smoke anyway. I don’t think it’s patronising. In fact, they should introduce a ban in lots of other places too. But so long as no one does, I won’t give up smoking.”
Two international students are smoking in front of the Kamerling Onnes Building. Katie Douhety from Great Britain (24, Master’s in Criminal Justice) hasn’t heard of the plans yet but thinks it “not bad”.
“I went to university in California for a while, and you weren’t allowed to smoke anywhere there. You actually had to bike somewhere to light up a cigarette, so students would smoke secretly behind a tree.”
Her countryman Oliver Chapman (23, Master’s in Public International Law) says: “I’m used to it, in the United Kingdom, everything’s very strictly regulated. I might even smoke less or enjoy a walk to a spot a bit further away.”