Smoking ban supporters won the second speech forum of the spring semester in the Cotillion Ballroom Monday night with a vote of 123-63.Opposing sides sat facing each other as Aaron O’Neil, associate professor of speech opened the forum and then handed it over to moderator Rachelle Hitt, mass communication senior from Gheens.

The topic of the forum was “Resolved, that smoking should be banned from building entrances on the NSU campus.”

Delfia Vasquez, criminal justice sophomore from Schriever, spoke in favor of the ban, and Laurie Smith, freshman from Labadieville, spoke for the con side.

Vasquez’s speech focused on three main points: second hand smoke, air pollution and rights to healthy air.

Vasquez used statistics to emphasize the dangers of second hand smoke. “Second hand smoke irritates the eyes, the nose, the throat,” she said. “Three thousand people who do not smoke die of lung cancer each year.”

Vasquez also pointed out that smoking is a form of air pollution. “It is a hazard to the environment,” she said. “The EPA has classified ETS (Environmental Tobacco Smoke) as a Group A carcinogen. These carcinogens are the most toxic substances known to cause cancer in humans.”

Vasquez said that the idea that smoke-free environments cost money is unfounded.

“The fact is, the companies that enact smoke-free policies save money due to increased productivity, reduced health insurance rates and decreased absenteeism,” Vasquez said. “Facts show that smoke-free policies encourage smokers to kick the habit.”

Vasquez concluded by making a suggestion to the SGA.

“I hope to persuade the campus’s legislative body to ban smoking from the entrances of buildings and designate smoking areas 50 feet from the entrances where they will not affect the nonsmoker.”

Smith started her speech by thanking Vasquez for her valid and relevant points. She then stated she was opposed to the ban because smoking is a right of the American public.

Smith stated she used the U.S. Federal Revenue website, the Louisiana Revenue website and the Phillip Morris website as sources for her speech.

Smith said smokers are not purposefully irritating nonsmokers by smoking at entrances.

“Students, faculty and staff who smoke mainly do so at building entrances as a matter of convenience, not rudeness,” Smith said. “Ashtrays across campus are placed mainly near the building entrances.”

Smith said the ban would not be fair because both smokers and nonsmokers use the campus.

“Smokers and nonsmokers pay the same tuition,” Smith said. “Therefore, we should have equal rights. It is essentially our University, and no one group should take precedence over another.”

Smith also stated that Nicholls is partially funded by taxes from cigarette sales.

“Taxes from cigarettes have increased substantially in the last few years,” Smith said. “The reason behind this increase was so that the money could be given to healthcare and education. Maybe, if more people would smoke, we wouldn’t have to pay for our own rec center.”

Smith concluded by saying American society is based on the ideals of equality, choice and tolerance. “As an institution of higher learning we should encourage these ideals, not condemn them,” Smith said.

After both speakers finished, the floor was opened to audience members who were given three minutes each to express opinions. Damian Breaux, Student Government Association president, spoke before the forum began. He urged students from both sides of the issue to volunteer for an SGA ad-hoc committee organized to find a resolution.