Kaylee Jones
Managing Editor
While critics may be up in the air about e-cigarettes, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin is not.
On Dec. 23 2013, Fallin signed Executive Order 2013-43 banning e-cigarettes (or vapors) from all state property.
In compliance with the order, Cameron University’s Vice President of Student Services Jennifer Holland sent out an email on Jan. 13 announcing a new “vapor-free” tobacco policy.
“The modified policy will go before our Board of Regents at the end of January,” Holland explained. “Right now, we’re just moving forward and have used the language that is subject to board approval, but [we] feel pretty confident that the board will approve given the nature of the executive order.”
Cameron’s tobacco-free policy was originally implemented in 2011.
Wayne Colman, owner of The Vapor Den, said he thinks the ban will be overturned once more is learned about e-cigarettes.
“You can’t smell it. It’s not burning. There’s no fire. There’s no carbon dioxide. There’s no ash. There’s no smoke. It’s vapor,” Colman said. “It’s water vapor.”
Zak Rajpari, a senior Communication major at Cameron, shares a similar sentiment.
“There is no proof that e-cigarettes are detrimental to the health of its users or those around the users,” Rajpari wrote. “There is only a stigma against nicotine, which some e-cigarettes don’t even have.”
Despite earning the disapproval of e-cigarette users across the state, Colman said he anticipates the ban will have no effect on business.
“People are going to smoke whether you allow them to do it in restaurants or not,” Colman said.
“It’s a habit that affects your brain, kind of like caffeine… once you’ve got nicotine or caffeine on the brain; it’s a need.”
A popular argument made against the ban is that e-cigarettes are posited to assist those trying to overcome their need for nicotine.
Holland offered up other resources, such as CU’S Wellness Center, for those looking to quit.
“There are other proven methods of tobacco cessation,” Holland shared, “and if you go to Cameron.edu/tobaccofree, there are lists of those. There are some freedom from smoking cessation classes that you can do online, but there are a lot of other very well proven methods to quit smoking.”