By BRADLEY BASKER
Chronicle correspondent

The air at Lone Star College-Kingwood became a bit cleaner as a new policy that prohibits smoking cigarettes on campus was instituted this semester.

A survey of 400 students and employees from last Semester served as a catalyst for the new policy. LSC-Kingwood President, Dr. Katherine Persson, thinks the smoking ban is beneficial for the college community.

"The results showed that 83 percent were concerned about second-hand smoke, and 73 percent considered the long-term health effects," Persson said. "It had been discussed for some time because of complaints about increased smoking on campus."

Before the ban, smokers were allowed to congregate in heavily populated areas of campus. Anyone could take a smoke break in between classes or appointments.

Smokers are now only allowed to light up at three designated shelters, which are located outside the central portion of the campus. The college has posted several signs establishing the boundaries for smoke-free areas, leaving little room for ignorance of the policy.

Dean of College Relations Henry Garcia said health plays an increasingly important role in the well-being of campus community.

"I think we’re sending a clear message that we are very concerned with the health and welfare of our students," Garcia said. "A smoke-free policy is a way of enforcing this issue."

Persson said adherence to the policy has been great.

"Many of the students are already using the shelters," Persson said. "We have upgrades planned to make sure the areas are comfortable for those who want to smoke."

Each LSC campus has their own policies, but Montgomery and the newly opened Cy-Fair campus have similar smoking bans in effect.

LSC-Montgomery only allows smoking in parking lots, and anything outside the lots is considered a no-smoking zone.

Steve Scheffler, dean of college relations, said the campus used to have designated smoking shelters between certain buildings, but the policy was changed in June 2007.

"We had a lot of students who were not following the previous policy and were littering the campus with cigarette butts," Scheffler said. "There was even a clean up effort involved."

Violation of the LSC-Kingwood policy carries the possibility of disciplinary sanctions, but so far students have been compliant to the ban, college officials said.

"I’ve seen probably two or three students who were not abiding by the ban," Persson said. "I simply directed them to a smoking shelter."