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MCC looks to ban e-cigs and tobacco on campus

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It may soon be no smoking on Metropolitan Community College campuses. There is a proposed ban for smoking, e-cigs, and tobacco.

SEE RELATED: Tobacco, vaping ban considered at MCC

The MCC board of governors discussed the new proposal Tuesday evening.

Metro currently has 7 campuses that have 37 designated smoking areas. The college has been working on this ban for the past several years.

“We are saving money, we are providing a healthier environment, is it going to be a pain yes, and students will choose to walk across the street, they will choose to go smoke or not smoke, and I think we need to advocates for a healthier lifestyle,” said board member Michael Young. 

While most of the board was for the ban, Brad Ashby had concerns about safety.

“As long as it is not affecting anybody else, why do we need the ban, and the other issue of moving it off campus is we are pushing it off to someone else’s property,” said Ashby.

The ban would help the college save up to $20,000 dollars a year in clean-up costs, and Kara Eastman said this is just good business. 

“I think metro is the type of place where we promote health and we are a part of a healthy community and there are a lot of people in Omaha that care about this issue,” she said.

One thing the college would have to figure out is how to police the ban, they said right now they would issue warning and could be given a citation by campus police. 

The board voted 10-1 to advance the proposal to a second reading. The board will vote again in a month if the ban will be in place or not starting next school year.