Tobacco production courses will not have a curriculum change due to recently changed University smoking restrictions, according to Loren Fisher, an assistant professor of crop science.
Following the North Carolina General Assembly legislation to prohibit smoking in all state buildings, the smoking regulation policy for University Facilities states, as of Jan. 1, smokers must be at least 25 feet away from a building’s public entrances and air intakes.
Tobacco products will also be discontinued from sale at the campus bookstores.
Despite the ban on smoking in all state buildings, Fisher said the prohibitions are not taking effect on tobacco production or the curriculum dealing with tobacco at the University.
“Tobacco production has come up by almost 30 percent in North Carolina over the past three or four years,” Fisher, an extension specialist in the Crop Science Department, said. “The number of growers has decreased dramatically, but production has increased from remaining growers.”
Fisher also said the tobacco regulations will not change what is taught in the tobacco production courses.
“Many of the changes we’ve made to the crop production courses have been to just reflect the science at that time,” Fisher said.
Courses on tobacco production are offered through a two-year program in the Agriculture Institute, as well as other production courses about heavily produced crops in North Carolina such as cotton, corn and soybeans.
“Tobacco is no different from any other crop — enrollment is very similar in all of these courses,” Fisher said.
Fisher also said the enrollment in the tobacco production courses has been fairly steady.
“We’ve had between 20 and 30 Agriculture institute students enrolled every year,” he said.
Jennifer Corriher, a freshman in agricultural business management, said she was glad that the tobacco regulations are having no effect on tobacco-related curriculum.
“I don’t promote smoking in any way, but the tobacco courses are still important because there are other uses for tobacco,” Corriher said. “And if they continue researching and keep the courses, they may even find other uses.”
Carrie McGaha, a freshman in communication, agreed.
“I don’t think the ban should have an effect on the courses if it’s something students want to learn,” McGaha said.
Fisher said does not foresee the restrictions on tobacco usage to have any effect on the tobacco-related curriculum.
“Our programs are based on the needs of the state and the needs of the students,” Fisher said. “As long as there is an interest from the students, then the course will still be offered.”