Passive smoking poses dreadful health risks, with cancer standing out. Some of the longstanding research on these effects can be consulted below:

• https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ijc.2910270102
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673683906803
• https://academic.oup.com/jnci/article/66/6/1061/1076626
• https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/121/1/37/151402
• https://www.nature.com/articles/bjc1986157
• https://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/46/9/4804.short
• https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.82.11.1525
• https://academic.oup.com/jnci/article/96/1/29/2520748
• https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/125/1/17/56784
• https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-842X.2001.tb00564.x
• https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.88.7.1025
• https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/36/5/1048/776352
• https://www.nature.com/articles/bjc1994258
• https://www.jstor.org/stable/3703905?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673685910840
• https://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d1016.short
• https://www.nature.com/articles/bjc1987264
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0160412085900984

Staff and students at Lancster University, and college residents, are exposed to frequent smoke from tobacco (and other substances sometimes). Other universities and colleges worldwide are taking the lead in tackling the inevitable task of protecting passive smokers and limiting smoking areas (see some examples). This university could greatly support the health and wellbeing of its members by creating a set of smoking areas on campus, that should be well distanced from any buildings, and by banning smoking outside those areas. This ruling should be enforced using clear signs, invigilation and penalties.

I encourage you to support this petition.