SCRANTON -- A college in Lackawanna County headed back to class Monday, but with one big change. A new campus-wide smoking ban is in effect at Marywood University.
On Rhea Mancia's first day of college, Newswatch 16 found her a block away from Marywood University's campus in Scranton.
"I had to stay away from that building over there, so I just came all the way down to the corner," she said.
Mancia is a smoker. And before classes started, she read about her new school's new campus-wide smoking ban.
"I don't think it's a bad thing. I think it's good for people who don't want to be around it and I don't mind walking all the way down here," Mancia added.
There are a few new things on campus for Marywood's fall semester. The signs declaring it a "tobacco-free campus" caught some students off guard but didn't surprise them.
"I feel like a lot of places are trying to do that now. I think it's a good thing," said student Sarah Longo of Scranton.
The University's Student Government Association pushed for the ban last semester. The signs were put up over summer break.
"I know everybody in SGA kind of thought it would be a good idea. A lot of campuses are moving towards having the smoking ban and I think it's more of a clean air policy," said Maria Temples, a senior member of the Student Government Association.
Other smokers Newswatch 16 talked to didn't seem too phased by the ban. In the past, there were smoking sections on campus, and those smokers said now they just have to walk a little bit farther.
Some students think the extra walk may influence some smokers to quit.
"I have a friend that just started to quit that I'm rooming with, so, that kind of was the eye opener for him," said Stephen Finkle of New York.
Finkle is a Marywood University freshman and a former smoker. He thinks the ban will have some consequences.
"It's kind of bad for the neighborhood across the street because now all the cigarette butts are going to be thrown out there. But, for the campus, not a lot of people like to smoke so the smoke kind of interferes with some of the other kids on campus," Finkle said.
As far as consequences for smokers on campus, university officials say they will be issued a warning at first. A repeat offender may face punishment from the school.
