Cambridge college smoking

Hi
this may seem like a pretty stupid question but i was just wondering whether any colleges in Cambridge allow students to smoke in the bedrooms?

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Reply 1

victor_b1992

you properly have to call up the uni accommodation office to clarify if you can or can not

Reply 2

Pork and Beans

I'm pretty sure college accommodation comes under the indoor smoking law that came in a few years ago.

Edit: Just looked up. It's a grey area. Although I do not know of any colleges which allow it.

Reply 3

thefish_uk

Sebmhc

Hi
this may seem like a pretty stupid question but i was just wondering whether any colleges in Cambridge allow students to smoke in the bedrooms?

If you're really keen you could try to find the junior members' handbook on the college website (as an example, the Robinson one is here) and see what that says. In general, colleges don't like it. Just after the public buildings smoking ban Robinson used the opportunity to ban smoking everywhere indoors and start installing super-sensitive smoke detectors in student bedrooms. I am guessing other colleges will have done something similar.

In general, smoking in your college room is considered a bloody inconsiderate thing to do, purely because it stinks it out for the poor conference guest / student who is in there next. As in, before the ban our college had to spend a lot of money redecorating rooms because of the smoke smell that just wouldn't go away.

Pork and Beans

I'm pretty sure college accommodation comes under the indoor smoking law that came in a few years ago.

I'm not sure rooms do as they are units which are individually let to students and the only person for whom it is a workplace is your bedmaker, and you're not going to smoke while they're there. I seem to remember our college authorities were unsure at the time too (I think they were wondering if they'd still be able to allow conference guests to smoke). But a lot of colleges jumped on the ban to as a chance to ban smoking everywhere anyway.

Reply 4

Supermerp

thefish_uk

(I think they were wondering if they'd still be able to allow conference guests to smoke)

A friend of mine once came back from a vacation to find one of their desk draws full of ash.

Reply 5

fumblewomble

They all seem to be saying the same thing - you can smoke in your room but nowhere else.

Girton College
The College has a no smoking policy for all public rooms and corridors. Students may smoke in their own rooms when cleaning or other College staff are not present but will be responsible for any extra cleaning that may be needed or damage that occurs.
http://www.girton.cam.ac.uk/students/guide/undergraduate-accommodation/

Selwyn College
Under current legislation, you are permitted to smoke in your room, but not in any communanl or other interior space in the College. The law also prohibits smoking beneath or in the vicinity of windows. Please remember that you are responsible for any burn damage. If a member of staff requires access to your room, and you are a smoker, please ensure that it is adequately ventilated beforehand. Students who breach the policy are comitting a criminal offesnse and will be subject to disciplinary action
http://www.sel.cam.ac.uk/college/AccommodationHandbook.pdf

St John's College
In accordance with the current legislation, it is against the law to smoke inside any building on the main College site, or hostels (including common rooms) except in the residential rooms of senior and junior members.
http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/cms_misc/media/college_life/studenthandbook-newmap09.pdf

Reply 6

TheUnbeliever

For what it's worth, you can't smoke in your rooms at Queens' (or, indeed, on campus). The alarm would certainly go off if you tried anyway.

Reply 7

fumblewomble

TheUnbeliever

For what it's worth, you can't smoke in your rooms at Queens' (or, indeed, on campus). The alarm would certainly go off if you tried anyway.

Yes, you're right.

Queens' College
Queens' is a smoke-free environment. Smoking is not permitted in any room or building anywhere in the College, or in any College-owned property or building
http://www.quns.cam.ac.uk/mi-client/media/official-documents/inforegs2009-10.pdf

It's clearly worth choosing your college carefully if you're a smoker.

Reply 8

Helenia

I'm pretty sure Clare banned smoking in rooms long before the smoking ban came along. Isn't it a fire hazard? (Like most things)

Reply 9

FadeToBlackout

Helenia

I'm pretty sure Clare banned smoking in rooms long before the smoking ban came along. Isn't it a fire hazard? (Like most things)

I remember the Clareification at the time.

"Fire-hazards are a paper tiger!"

"Paper tigers are fire hazards!"

Reply 10

thetrystero

which ones are smoke-free? a quick google search revealed that only magdalene and caius have explicit instructions regarding smoke-free policy, while king's allows smoking in private rooms.

Reply 11

Azarimanka

Original post by thetrystero

which ones are smoke-free? a quick google search revealed that only magdalene and caius have explicit instructions regarding smoke-free policy, while king's allows smoking in private rooms.

None are. Ive had a fag in all of them.

Why does it matter?

Reply 12

thetrystero

Health reasons. When were you there? Non smoking at the above colleges were implemented 2006

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Reply 13

Tortious

Original post by thetrystero

which ones are smoke-free? a quick google search revealed that only magdalene and caius have explicit instructions regarding smoke-free policy, while king's allows smoking in private rooms.

At Pembroke, I think smoking is only permitted outside in designated smoking areas (there are two that I'm aware of), but you're allowed to smoke in your room.

Reply 14

fluteflute

A quick Google shows that Newnham also forbids smoking.

Reply 15

Azarimanka

Original post by thetrystero

Health reasons. When were you there? Non smoking at the above colleges were implemented 2006

Posted from TSR Mobile

I'm still here.

My point is that most colleges have designated smoking areas and some allow smoking in *private* rooms.

There is no problem

Reply 16

Muppetmad

Christ's is smoke-free. To quote the accommodation handbook:

"The smokefree law, which came into effect on 1 July 2007, makes it illegal to smoke in public buildings and places of work. Accordingly, the College does not allow Fellows, staff, students, visitors, conference guests, contractors or members of the public to smoke in any part of its premises. College premises include all buildings on the Domus site, and other College premises such as hostels, the boathouse and College-owned vehicles.

Additionally, smoking is NOT allowed in College residential accommodation, including all individual study bedrooms, bed-sits or flats."