Update on Douglas College's smoking ban

> A week in and already receiving mixed reviews

Katie Czenczek
News Editor

 

Dz College’s hard-line ban
on all things vapour, smoke,
and cannabis has had its fair share
of both critics and supporters.

On September 1 Douglas enacted
its strict no-smoking policy. Ultimately,
this removed the smoking pit near the
Douglas College Students’ Union on
both floors. Signs have been posted
all around outdoor spaces at Douglas,
though they only specifically showed
a no-smoking sign despite vapes and
cannabis also being prohibited.

Security guards spent the majority of
their time outside near the spots around
campus that many smokers congregate
to. Whether or not they were sent there
specifically to enforce the new rule is yet
to be determined, as Douglas security
could not comment at this time.

According to Douglas College’s
website, approximately 75 percent of
students supported banning smoking,
vapes, and pot from the premises.

For those who do smoke, 23 percent
of smoking Douglas College students
are said to want to quit, also as
reported by Douglas College’s website.
While there is no mention as to why
cannabis was also banned from school
grounds, it seems significant that the
ban started merely a month before
cannabis will be legalized nationwide.

Roxy Grimbeck, a first-year sports
science student at Douglas College,
said in an interview with the Other
Press that she supported the ban.

“I know that many people
are sensitive to smells, and
vaping and cigarettes have very
overpowering smells,” she said.

SS

 

Photo by Lauren Kelly

“For people who are trying to quit smoking
[through vaping] it’s difficult to be forced into
the same area where all of the smokers go.”
—-Bobby Singh, fourth-year BPEC student

 

Grimbeck also said that she
didn’t want to be bombarded with
smoke and vapour the second she
stepped outside the building.

“When I walk outside, I want to
be breathing in fresh air—not vape
or smoke when I need to take a break
from my classes,” she said. “Smoking
is terrible for you and students
shouldn't have to get second-hand
smoke from leaving the campus.”

Students who do use vapes and
cigarettes, however, have only seemed
to move over a couple of metres from
the original spots allocated for smoking
because Douglas College cannot enforce
the ban outside of school grounds.

Bobby Singh, a fourth-year BPEC
student at Douglas College, said in
an interview with the Other Press
that he doesn’t think it’s fair to lump
together cigarettes and vapes.

“Tunderstand that students don’t
want to have vapour in their face,
and that’s fair, but for people who are
trying to quit smoking it’s difficult to
be forced into the same area where
all of the smokers go,” he said.

Singh also said that while vapes
can be quite intrusive, there are other
e-cigarettes that can be less so.

“The thing is, vapes and
stuff can be intrusive, but a Juul
isn’t nearly as bad,” he said.

Only time will tell how long
the ban will persist, but as of right
now, Douglas College continues
to be a smoke-free zone.

Aquilini Investment Group purchases
multimillion-dollar esports slot

> Will Vancouver be getting its own pro-gaming team?

Brittney MacDonald
Life & Style Editor

 

F those following the esports
scene, you are probably already
well aware that Vancouver seems to
be setting itself up as a destination
city for professional videogaming.

Having hosted international
competitions from many varying
esports leagues—including the League
of Legends North American League
Championship Series and the Dota
2 International, which managed
to sell out Rogers Arena for over a
week straight—it was only a matter
of time before someone capitalized
on this rapidly-growing industry.

On September 5, Vancouver was
announced to be one of eight new cities
to be added to the growing Overwatch
League (OWL) this coming April. Unlike
many other professional gaming leagues,
which usually have country or region-

based teams, the

million. AIG is the

 

OWL works off of a
more standardized
North American
professional sports
model, instead
functioning with
set, city-based
teams such as

the London
Spitfire, Houston
Outlaws, and the
Shanghai Dragons.

 

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OVERWATCH 9 &f é ofthe Philadelphia

third company
with stakes in
the National
Hockey League

5 te transition over

> to the OWL.

g Both Comcast

> Spectacor, owner

Flyers, and

L = IV ia LJ E. § Kroenke Sports

$ & Entertainment,

 

Vancouver
will be the
second Canadian city to join the
OWL after Toronto was added
to the list on August 13.

Purchase of the team slot was
made by Aquilini Investment Group
(AIG)— overseen by managing director
Francesco Aquilini—the parent company
to the Vancouver Canucks. Reportedly
the sale cost AIG between $35 and $60

owner of the
Colorado
Avalanche, purchased team slots in
2017—creating founding OWL teams
the Philadelphia Fusion and the Los
Angeles Gladiators, respectively.
Francesco Aquilini said in a press
release that Vancouver's team will
likely represent the Pacific Northwest
in the league since it is the first
team to be added in this region.

“The Overwatch League has
visionary leadership, strong franchises,
and connects with millions of players
globally,” he said. “We’re pleased to have
the opportunity to expand into esports
and we can't wait to launch the team
in Vancouver, which will also represent
fans across the Pacific Northwest,
including Seattle and Portland.”

The fact that the purchase of
the team slot was made by AIG (as
opposed to a backer specifically related
to technology or esports) goes a long
way in legitimizing professional video
games as a whole within our city. It
means recognition of the industry itself
and a whole new stream of revenue for
tourism within Vancouver. Currently
teams compete in the Blizzard Arena
in Los Angeles. However, the OWL
has made it clear that they intend
to transition teams to play out of
their franchise cities eventually.