The air has become cleaner!

Once you go out of the campus, around the University you will find nonsmoking areas specified by Shinjuku Ward

A lounge full of smoke. In some places students still ignore "No Smoking" signs.

A student sat on a bench, and lighted a cigarette. He was asked to stop smoking, and accepted this advice.

He stopped smoking immediately, and collected a cigarette stub. From now on, smoke at the smoking areas, please!

Please join the non-smoking campaign. Have regular Non-smoking Patrols been successful?
It is natural for smoking to be forbidden on campus in other countries. Compared with universities overseas, it appears that fewer students have good smoking manners at Waseda University. But there is some indication of improvement. First, the air near the entrances of university buildings has become cleaner. Students who suffer from respiratory problems feel at ease when they go to their classroom. Next, when we warn students who are walking along smoking, they rarely look offended. If we ask our teachers or senior students not to smoke during seminars or tutorials at a professor's office, we are not regarded as eccentric. It is to be hoped that everybody will show more consideration for others and try to stop smoking in non-smoking areas.

Regular patrols on campus are successful.

The University has promoted a campaign for dividing the campus into smoking and non-smoking places for more than ten years. The campaign was, however, merely nominal. Since the Health Promotion Act was put in force last May, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has appealed to the universities to take action against "Passive smoking" (inhaling tobacco fumes of other people), and the universities have started to promote education against smoking. At Waseda the Deans of Academic Affairs discussed this matter, and the Board of Directors set up non-smoking areas. Regular patrols by the teaching staff have been successful, and the air on campus is becoming cleaner.

Opinions of those who went on patrol

"It is sure that the air has become cleaner. Although some still smoke in the lounge, they readily stop smoking when we ask them to stop it. On the other hand, we need to keep on checking those who smoke while walking, even though their number is decreasing."

Say "Please stop smoking" to smoky offenders

At most places where the students need to be, smoking is strictly prohibited. Places that students use, for example classes, lounges, corridors, staircases, and so on, are regarded as "passive smoking prevention areas", and therefore as non-smoking areas. Teachers' offices are also regarded as the classrooms and non-smoking areas, when they are used for seminars and tutorials. Except for the smoking areas, smoking is prohibited outside. Do not smoke while walking.      (From the decision made by the Board of Directors on 18 July 2003 )

Join free! Great results from the "non-smoking college marathon"

Good news for students who want to stop smoking for their health but cannot do it! About forty universities in Japan have set up a project: "Send more non-smoking students to the world" which is supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Although Waseda has not joined the project yet, any student can take part in the "non-smoking college marathon" for free. By using a "non-smoking website" which is well-known for its outstanding success rate, registered students receive e-mails which encourage them to stop smoking every morning and evening. Students can try to stop smoking without loneliness or irritation, because they will often read e-mails from winners, losers and re-challengers. Join them!