The Student Government Association is attempting to give the University of Memphis community its right to chew - tobacco, that is.
On Nov. 8, the SGA passed a resolution that would change the current on-campus limited-use tobacco policy to an "on-campus smoking ban," allowing smokeless tobacco to be used on campus.
Addison Piggott, the SGA senator who sponsored the resolution, said students should be able to use smokeless tobacco anywhere outdoors because there are no harmful secondhand effects.
"We shouldn't be taking away their right," he said. "If they are over 18, they should have the right to use smokeless tobacco if they choose to."
Piggott defined smokeless tobacco as "dip, snuff [or] any form of chewing tobacco that doesn't involve fire or smoke."
Electronic cigarettes are not included in this resolution because they are "technically smoking products," Piggott said, but if he can determine they do not have harmful secondhand effects, he would consider writing a bill allowing them also.
While the SGA voted in favor of approving this resolution for administrative consideration, Maria Alam, assistant vice president and chief human resources officer, said students originally brought banning tobacco to the administration's attention through the SGA.
"The initiative to eliminate tobacco use was originally introduced in 2010 by students through the Student Government Association," she said. "Based on feedback received from the students and overall University community, the tobacco-free initiative was changed to a limited tobacco-use initiative."
Piggott said by establishing designated tobacco-use areas, secondhand smoke is contained, but there is no need to contain smokeless tobacco use because there are no harmful effects to those around the user.
"Tobacco that produces smoke is harmful, so we are protecting the rights of nonsmokers," he said. "We decided to have smoking zones so people who want to smoke can still do it and those who don't can find their way around it, so we aren't infringing on people's rights either way."
But Alam said the purpose of the limited-use tobacco policy is "to promote healthy living through a healthy environment for students, employees and visitors," not just to eliminate secondhand smoke.
At the SGA senate meeting, a senator spoke up about the uncleanliness of "spitting" smokeless tobacco. Piggott replied that smokeless tobacco is biodegradable and does not stain concrete.
Mason Lin, sophomore finance major and senator of the College of Arts and Sciences, voted in favor of approving the resolution.
"I think that people can do whatever they want to do as long as it doesn't hurt other people," he said.
Alam said any resolutions proposed will go through the Vice President for Student Affairs Rosie Bingham.
The resolution will not go into effect until the administration approves it. Piggott said he plans to speak with SGA President Russell Born and U of M Police Services about how to get the University to allow students to start using smokeless tobacco throughout campus.
"It is an issue of rights and liberties," he said.
