Ole Miss smoking ban may be hard to enforce | News

OXFORD, MS- (WMC-TV) – The Ole Miss campus will soon be smoke free, but police may have a difficult time enforcing the new rule.

From August until the end of the fall semester violators will only receive a slap on the wrist. But starting in January, if you want to pull the cigarettes out on campus, you might want to have $25 too.

The fines will be issued to students, faculty or visitors caught puffing on university grounds or in cars.

"If they're putting other people's lives at risk, that's not fair to people who don't smoke," said student Austin Hervey.

But Paige Bays says the new policy discriminates against fellow smokers.

"It's nice to sit down and relax with friends and have a cigarette and enjoy a conversation and I don't want to get a ticket for that," she said.

Students and faculty say no one enforces the current policy which requires people to light up only in designated areas.

But Ole Miss police say it will become a reportable offense and they will respond to calls.

However, when asked how the policy will hold up in the Grove on game day weekends, police said smoking will likely be addressed, but officers will probably have their hands full keeping Rebel fans safe.

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