Electronic cigarettes have drawn the scrutiny of campus officials at West Texas A&M University in recent weeks.

On Feb. 18, University President Dr. Patrick O’Brien issued a change to the Supplements System Policy 34.05 and has extended the restriction of use of tobacco on campus to include electronic cigarettes and hookahs.

Many institutions and universities have had to address the use of electronic cigarettes and put rules and regulations in place regarding them.

“It’s my understanding that we started seeing students who were using the water vapor and the electronic cigarettes,” Dr. Wade Shaffer, Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs, said. “We know that smoking a traditional cigarette or chewing tobacco is not allowed on campus. What are we going to do about these new products that are out there and seem to be growing in popularity with the students? We need to be clear as to whether they’re allowed on campus or not.”

Electronic cigarettes can be found at local smoke shops like vape battery australia as well as gas stations and can be seen as an alternative to the traditional means of smoking. E-cig juice comes in both non-nicotine and nicotine forms.

“I think one of the biggest reasons people are so skeptical about them (e-cigs) and feel they could pollute the air is that there is a big misconception now about what ingredients are in them,” CJ Carter, junior Music Education/Saxophone Performance major, said. “But any of the vape stores you buy juice at will tell you what is in them. They contain vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol, both ingredients used in food products and medical inhalers. They contain food flavorings; many stores even use all-natural flavors, and optional nicotine.”

To make a change to any campus procedure regarding students, a person of authority would be notified and take the issue up with either an ad-hoc committee or an existing committee and make a recommendation to the Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Donna Eddleman, who would then make a recommendation to the university president.

“I think it’s fair that they follow the regular smoking rules because it is smoking,” Tori Stone, senior Mass Communication major, said. “[But] I would rather be around e-cigs any day over regular cigs.”

The issue of electronic cigarettes is an internal one to WTAMU, which allows this sort of decision process.  Students were notified of the change via WT student emails and can also find the change in the Student Code of Life.