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CPCC explores no smoking on campus sidewalks

By Trent Faris - bio l email

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV)  CPCC student Matt Mclain is a smoker.  He's not too happy his college will go tobacco free in two months.

"It's just taking one of our freedoms away, we have the right to smoke," said McClain.

When the smoking ban goes into effect in Januray 2nd there will be no smoking anywhere on campus the problem is CPCC is in the heart of Charlotte.   Meaning smokers can light up just ten feet away from a campus building on the side walk.

So CPCC looked into that issue.

"We asked the city if they had the ability or the authority to make the part of the Elizabeth Avenue that goes through our central campus tobacco free as well," said Jessica Graham, Assistant to the President. 

Meaning a smoker wouldn't be able to go to the side walk on Elizabeth Avenue between Kinks Drive and Charlottetown Avenue and light up.

"Well should I stand in the street then just stand on the edge of the curb and smoke a cigarette there am I fine there," said McClain.

Businesses along Elizabeth fear such a ban could eventually effect them because Marci Murphey at SK Netcafe says if they allow no smoking along CPCC's streets the city could ban smoking every where on Elizabeth.

"That would seriously hurt our business, and our businesses have been hurt for the past two years because of construction," said Murphey

McClain thinks the ban could go further.

"If they can ban it on the street right here they can ban it anywhere else in Charlotte, they can ban it down town or out side the arena," said McClain.

Only time will tell if smoker will be snuffed out for good.

The city attorney's office says they are still researching the new state no smoking statue to see if the new law allows no smoking on side walks.

CPCC wants to make clear they asked the city attorney to see if it was at all feasable to ban smoking on the side walks of their campus. 

If there is a chance CPCC could ban smoking on sidewalks they would have to have the Charlotte city councils approval first.