University of Texas students may see changes in the tobacco-use policy on campus due to new guidelines from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) that place the university in jeopardy of losing millions of dollars in research funding.

CPRIT released guidelines requiring all entities who receive funding to adopt a “tobacco-free” policy. The University currently receives $30 million in funding and hopes to apply for $88 million more in funding from CPRIT.

According to University Spokesperson Adrienne Howarth-Moore, the University is aggressively looking into policy-language changes by March 1 to have the ability to apply for more funding. The deadline to keep current funding is Aug. 1.

The current “smoke-free” policy of the University does not comply with the CPRIT mandate that includes a ban on all tobacco products in buildings where CPRIT funded research is being conducted. According to Howarth-Moore, a campus-wide tobacco-free policy may be more feasible than only focusing on buildings where CPRIT funds are being used.

“Focusing only on CPRIT funded buildings can be difficult in communications,” said Howarth-Moore. “Each semester a researcher applies for a grant and then we may have different buildings [using funds] depending on the semester.”

The policy being considered is in agreement with a Student Government resolution passed in 2011 that supports a tobacco-free campus.

“We want to focus on education and awareness,” Howarth-Moore said. The primary enforcement policy will be to change signage on campus to include “tobacco-free” and educational programs to encourage a tobacco-free lifestyle. “From an enforcement perspective, if someone has something in the cheek of their mouth it is just not feasible to go around and do that level of enforcement. Our focus is education,” Howarth-Moore said.

Howarth-Moore also said that the University is planning on increasing tobacco cessation programs to help students who would like to quit using tobacco products. “We have heard from tobacco users who are actually supportive of a tobacco free campus. They believe that this is what they need to quit,” Howarth-Moore said.

Undergraduate studies sophomore Makayla Kinney believes that adopting a tobacco-free policy on campus will have no affect on her smoking habits. “If I wanted a cigarette, I would simply step off campus and have one,” Kinney said.

Kinney is unhappy with the tobacco-free policy because she usually smokes cigarettes on her way to-and-from class. “If there were some designated smoking areas, I feel as if that would be a good compromise,” Kinney said. “In a way, it’s still inconveniencing all the smokers seeing as they will be confined to a small area while they are smoking.”

Jose Nino, the president of Longhorn Libertarians, believes that students have to deal with special-interest groups and bureaucracy affecting the decision to go tobacco-free.

“When you have a public institution like UT you get more than just UT officials, but potential bureaucrats from [CPRIT] that are threatening to withhold research funds involved,” Nino said. “This seems like a top-down mandate that might be pushed behind closed doors and rammed down our throats.”

Journalism student Jackie Ruth is glad to hear about the tobacco-free policy. “No one needs to be involuntarily subjected to a health hazard,” Ruth said. “I think it could definitely benefit the smokers and non-smokers in the end. Maybe some people will even end up kicking the nasty habit.”