The campus police squad will be initiating a new policy on smoking starting today, Sept. 12, in order to adhere to complaints they have received in the past.Student and smoker Vincent Naglic feels he pays enough money to the school that he should be able to smoke wherever he wants.The new smoking policy makes sense to David Pressler, as long as the school does not kick him off campus for smoking.From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., smokers will be asked to keep walking if they gather in front of, behind or next to campus buildings.  The officers have the power to write citations for $25 for smokers who violate this policy at any time.“Our goal is not to cite people, but to prevent people from congregating in front of our buildings,” Chief of Police Jeff Besong said in his office in Frontier Hall on Sept. 4. “We are not the cigarette police, nor do we want to be the cigarette police, so we are asking faculty, staff and students to work with us.”Point Park University is not alone in making its campus less-tobacco friendly. Many schools have even decided to ditch smoking altogether on their campuses. In fact, over 774 schools across the nation have adopted a smoke-free campus, according to The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.“It’s a growing trend and certainly there are a number of good reasons for it, not the least of which is to protect people from second-hand smoke. It also sets up a dynamic where you are starting to create a cultural norm that says we are not going to allow cigarette smoking and tobacco use, which is a proven prevention strategy for discouraging younger [individuals] from starting to smoke,” Cindy Thomas, executive director of Tobacco Free Allegheny, said in a phone interview on Friday.According to Thomas, Point Park does have the legal prerogative to set up a policy against smoking near building entrances and exits after the passing of the The Clean Indoor Air Act of 2008, which made smoking in public establishments illegal.The law also states, “An individual may not engage in smoking in a public place. Nothing in this act shall preclude the owner of a public or private property from prohibiting smoking on the property.”This section of the law gives a university the ability to decide whether or not its campus is smoke-free or has some type of policy against smoking.However, with an urban environment, it becomes more difficult to enforce policies against tobacco use.“In a city area, where continuous property could be owned by different people, and the sidewalk could be considered public and then the street …it can be very challenging,” Thomas said.Besong said this policy comes after he received many complaints last year about people congregating in front of buildings to smoke.“This is overwhelmingly supported,” Besong said.During the first few weeks of the new policy, as Besong explained, officers will just be warning smokers to either keep walking up and down campus or move to the designated smoking area behind the West Penn Building on the corner of First Avenue and Wood Street.Naglic, a sophomore funeral management major, is concerned with the placement of the designated smoking area. He said it seems unsafe for students to smoke there, and he prefers smoking outside of Lawrence Hall or by the Village Park wall.“I just think it’s stupid. [Lawrence Hall] is where everyone met each other,” Naglic said as he smoked in the Village Park on Sunday. “That’s where you meet your friends on the stoop outside of Lawrence. It’s a Point Park staple.”While smoking outside of Lawrence Hall on Sunday, Pressler, a freshman creative writing major, explained why he understands the need for a smoking policy.“If you do smoke I guess it’s kind of inconvenient, but if you don’t I’m sure it’s annoying to have people smoking in your face,” Pressler said. “I’m sure a lot of people don’t like it. Plus, walking is good for you. I might as well counteract the smoking by walking.”Pressler also noted that time will only tell if the policy enacted is adapted in a “proactive” way rather than a way that “polarizes” smokers.“There is a shame put on smoking. Certainly, smoking isn’t healthy; at the same time it’s a personal choice,” Pressler said.Besong said that new signs will be posted on buildings when the policy takes effect.