ASU to implement smoking ban on campus - New York News | NYC Breaking News

It is a trend. More colleges and universities are going smoke free. ASU will soon be on that list.

The university has announced it will ban smoking on campus, and not everyone is happy about the decision.

At the smoking corner on the ASU downtown campus, smokers recline on comfortable benches while lighting up. A lot of nonsmoking students avoid this spot.

"I'm tired of the smell and the smoke, a lot of kids are allergic to it, a lot of my friends are allergic. It's unpleasant," says student Rachel Gosselin.

Rachel Gosselin may not have to smell cigarette smoke much longer. ASU wants it's campuses to be smoke free starting August 1, 2013.

"It kind of upsets me. I think it's my choice to smoke, it's not their choice," says Skylar Taylor.

Students are not allowed to smoke in the dorms, not even on the balcony.

"As far as I know we've been able to smoke up there in past years, now we are pushed out here," says Justin Price.

And they may be pushed even more.

When the ban goes into effect it means students and teachers will have to leave the campus to light up, and some coeds are worried about their safety late at night.

"You come down here and its sketchy as can be, it was bums walking around. I'm a tiny little 18 year old girl," says Taylor.

But Danica Shillingburg sees it differently. She hosted the Health and Wellness Fair all day on campus.

"I think that overall the smoking ban is a positive thing for the health of our campus. It encourages those to take a second look at that habit," says Shillingburg.

The ban is months away. ASU is expecting protests for and against the ban. A recent study estimates that tobacco causes about five million deaths a year worldwide.