Lights Out?

THE CAMBRIDGE smoking ban that takes effect today aims to put smoke where smoke belongs--in specially designated areas and out of the lungs of those who don't light up. Unfortunately, the enforcement measures Harvard has adopted will undermine the ban's effectiveness on campus.

Harvard has decided that the ordinance will only be enforced when individuals lodge complaints with University administrators--House masters or department officials--who then can enforce the ban as they see fit. With enforcement procedures such as these, the ordinances's provision for fining smokers as much as $100 and closing down buildings where illegal smoking persists will not have as much impact as they should.

Many Cantabrigians, including those at Harvard, are addicted to nicotine. Hopefully, their numbers will decline in the future. In the meantime, protecting the right of individuals to breathe clean air--and to avoid what the surgeon general has determined to be the health threat of second-hand smoke--is an unabashedly good thing.

Even if the Cambridge law goes largely unenforced on campus, it is bound to have a positive impact. At the very least, non-smokers probably will feel a little less uncomfortable about asking smokers to snuff out cigarettes. Thanks to the ordinance, the College now will relocate the smoker--and not the offended suite mate--when smoking disrupts a rooming group.

Harvard Police Chief Paul E. Johnson says it is not the job of police to chase smokers. We agree. However, Harvard should take a more active role in enforcing the ban than it currently plans. For one thing, Harvard's new smoking policy committee should become a central clearinghouse for complaints about smoking. This would help the University make sure the ban is observed. If it failed to do so, students, faculty, staff and Cambridge City councilors would know exactly whom to hold responsible. As it stands now, however, the smoking committee has only a vague mandate to coordinate the enforcement efforts of each University housing unit, office and academic department.

Under the smoking ordinance individuals have the option of complaining directly to city health officials. If Harvard wants to keep the city off campus, it will have to make a more serious effort to make sure the smoking ban is obeyed.