First it was airplanes. Then smoking bans eventually followed for restaurants, schools, hospitals and other public venues.

And now, no smoking . . . outside? Yes, if a University of Southern Maine task force prevails. A proposal by the task force seeks to make the entire campus, inside and out, smoke-free. It is the most comprehensive policy of its kind for any college in Maine. "Our goal is to reduce the risk of secondhand smoke exposure for our community," said Pamela Clay-Storm, a task force member and staff nurse at University Health Services. "We are not trying to create a climate that is anti-smoker." Smoking is already prohibited in university buildings and 50 feet from handicapped-accessible entrances of those buildings. Beginning next fall, smoking will also be banned in all residence halls. The proposed policy would extend the ban to "all campus grounds; including walkways, athletic fields, lawn areas, parking lots and playgrounds." Some students said Wednesday that the proposed policy is excessive and would be almost impossible to enforce. "I think it's silly that they want to do something so drastic when they can take smaller steps," said Jen Williamson, a senior at USM. "They have rules already in place that they don't enforce," she said, referring to the rule against smoking within 50 feet of handicapped-accessible entrances. The decision to amend USM's policy has been nearly two years in the making, said Clay-Storm. She said college health officials were encouraged by efforts at the University of Maine at Farmington to ban smoking in all public areas, including residence halls. UMF officials also plan to institute a smoke-free corridor that will designate some outdoor areas as smoke-free. Complaints from non-smokers and research on the detrimental effects of secondhand smoke prompted the committee to examine USM's smoking policy. It is more than 10 years old, said Clay-Storm, and needed to be updated. She said studies show that most smokers want to quit, and a smoke-free campus would help support that choice. Clay-Storm said she knows that selling the policy will be difficult. One alternative that has been considered is creating designated outdoor smoking areas, away from entryways, so people do not have to walk through a cloud of smoke on their way in and out of buildings. Clay-Storm said the proposal has been submitted to the student faculty and staff senates. The next step will be to hold public forums on the proposal. Any new policy would need the approval of USM President Richard Pattenaude. Clay-Storm said she hopes that smokers will make an effort to attend public meetings. "We want to try to reach out to current smokers to try and reach some agreement on the goal of reduced exposure to secondhand smoke," she said. Clay-Storm said the task force has agreed that enforcement would not include financial penalties for those who ignore the policy. She said she hopes the policy will become self-enforcing. Bowdoin College's director of health services, Jeff Benson, applauded USM's initiative. He said the issue of secondhand smoke has become increasingly important at campuses across the nation. "It's not about individual choice to smoke, but individual choice not to be exposed to secondhand smoke," he said. "(USM's proposed policy) is by far the most radical of any policy in the state." At least one student said he would support the policy. "It's annoying to get a face full of smoke when there are all these signs that say (smokers are) supposed to be 50 feet away," said sophomore John Raasumaa. But more students said the university should enforce the current 50-foot rule instead of instituting a campuswide ban or designating outdoor smoking areas. "It would be great if everyone wanted to quit smoking, but it's not for the university to tell you that you can't smoke," said Jane Bartlett, a freshman.

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