Dwight’s faces tobacco sale ban
By Dustin Evans
The Tennessee Board of Regents is set to vote Sept. 25 on a revision that would officially ban the sale of tobacco products on its campuses – a ban that would only affect MTSU, the last TBR university to continue tobacco sales.
MTSU previously asked Dwight’s Mini Mart to cease its tobacco sales last spring, but retracted its request following public protest and concerns addressed by the vendor, Dwight Johnson.
“I’m sure that they are trying to do what is best for the majority of people,” Johnson said. “I know there are some detrimental effects of tobacco, but the only thing I see is that in our country, people should have a choice. Those that choose to harm their body – it’s up to them.”
Johnson said 40 percent of his profits come from tobacco products, but he plans to find other products to take its place if the ban is passed. He said he is considering offering cessation patches and gum, health foods or other products beneficial to healthy living as a replacement to the tobacco products.
“If it becomes a policy, then we want to abide by it,” Johnson said.
Mary Morgan, director of communications for TBR, said the TBR had no role in the institution of the ban. She also said the TBR had no previous policy to mandate the sale of the product, but the vote is taking place because it is the right thing to do as an educational institution.
“We have a higher responsibility to protect our students’ health and set an example,” Morgan said. “Research overwhelmingly indicates that tobacco use is not only harmful to the health of the users, but it is bad for people in the vicinity.”
Brittany Slate, a sophomore pre-nursing major, said while she has purchased tobacco products on campus occasionally, she won’t notice a major change.
“It’s like taking smoking out of restaurants – it’s taking people’s right away to smoke,” Slate said. “They may think it might cause people not to smoke, but if people really want to smoke – they will find cigarettes.”
Copyright © 2009 Mtsusidelines
Dustin Evans
Assistant News Editor
Community News
MTSU Sidelines
slstate@mtsu.edu
Tags: tobacco sales
