Hertford Latest To Ban Smoking
Stubbing it out: Hertford is the latest JCR to ban smoking
Hertford JCR has narrowly passed a hotly-contested motion to ban smoking in the college bar at the request of the SCR. The motion proposed by JCR president Stephanie Johnston was the subject of heated debate at the meeting, before being passed with a majority of just six votes.
Speaking to The Oxford Student, Johnson justified the move, saying: “There are very few smokers in college, but when they do smoke down in the bar it tends to affect everyone, because the bar is underground and thus poorly ventilated. “I proposed the motion expressing my own preference and in the hope that the smokers in college would agree to make a concession and smoke at the top of the stairs of the bar or outside.”
Johnson expressed faith in members of the college, but emphasised: “It remains to be seen how successful the ban will be.” Traditionally Hertford has been seen as an anti-smoking college due to the influence of former principal Sir Walter Bodmer, who discovered the link between smoking and cancer. The smokers of the college were opposed to the motion, citing particularly since there already exists a designated non-smoking area.
Michael Loydon, a Hertford smoker who spoke against the ban, criticised the decision, saying: “All JCR members should be able to relax and enjoy themselves as they choose.” “Certainly for some this means not having to be subject to others’ smoke, but the majority of the Bar was already non smoking, and so non-smokers could already exercise this choice.”
He thanked the non-smokers who supported his campaign, adding: “Inevitably the narrow mindedness of the majority prevailed and the oppression of us smokers continues.
5th May 2005