Sean C. Morgan
A statewide ban on using tobacco on all school grounds will affect everything from sporting events to the Oregon Jamboree.
The ban takes effect in Oregon on Jan. 1, 2006. The ban affects all property owned, leased or chartered by school districts, including vehicles.
This includes places Little Promises, which leases the Pleasant Valley building, football games where spectators smoke in the parking lot and the Jamboree grounds and campsites, Curriculum Director Jan Sharp told the School Board last week.
The law prohibits adults from using tobacco. Students, even those who are 18 or older, may not possess tobacco at all.
Enforcement would be up to those leasing school property, Sharp said. The district has not talked to the Jamboree about the new law yet, but the details could be worked into the contract.
Chairman Scott Proctor suggested that the district talk to parties who use school property ahead of time then implement a new policy to comply with the law at the beginning of the next school year.
That would permit smoking on Jamboree grounds next year.
“I see a hard time enforcing it,” Don Hopkins, a board member, said. .
In the past, the Jamboree has had tobacco booths on the concert grounds, Event Manager Peter LaPonte said. The tobacco booths have always been on city property at the west end of the field and north of Weddle Bridge.
“I don’t think smoking is that important to people who attend (the Jamboree),” LaPonte said. “We already restrict it on site.”
The Jamboree already prohibits smoking in the seating area and provided a smoking area on the tennis courts, which was little used.
When the ban takes effect, LaPonte said, the Jamboree may provide a smoking area on city property.
“In a way it’s kind of a mixed blessing,” LaPonte said. “Because we have a lot of customers that would prefer no smoking at all.”
The Jamboree has tried to accommodate its customers in the past, LaPonte said. “Obviously this is going to take that whole issue out of our hands.”
As far as the volunteers, “I think they’re all going to have to understand they’re going to have to live by that rule,” LaPonte said. It’s part of a bigger trend, and “I don’t think even our volunteers are going to say they’re not going to volunteer because they can’t smoke. We’re just going to have to adapt.
“There will be some negative business consequences, but I don’t see that there’s a choice. It’ll be a challenge but it certainly won’t be the biggest challenge we’ve ever faced.
“From a business point of view, it’s bad news, but maybe it’s a mixed blessing. Maybe it will help us resolve some of our smoking issues.”
The important thing is to get the facts and let Jamboree customers know the rules, LaPonte said. He would like to look at the language of the law, he said. No exceptions to the rule seems to be a strange interpretation