I'm thinking the same thing.

And as others have said if people smoking outside attracts police, there are other issues afoot. If you have too many people outside at once, just have someone come ask those that are finished smoking to come inside. And when it's freezing, they won't want to stay outside anyway.

Stale smoke makes me ill and my mother is actually allergic to it. I think for a fraternity house where both smokers and non smokers live and where parties are held it's best to keep the smoking outside. There are plenty of people that not only won't want to go there, but won't be able to without feeling ill after a while. IMO the smokers are being whiny. It's just not that hard to go outside for five minutes to have a smoke then come back in.

AGDee-I am not sure if I am following or understanding your posting.
Most, if not all, offices buildings I have either worked or walked into have "No-Smoking" signs posted.

NYC has a major non-smoklng policy. As do other cities.

My guestions was, and is, asking if there are any bans or controls on smoking in dorms or any living quarters. Or school related buildings for that matter.

Just because smoking attracts police, doesn't mean there are other RM issues. If a cop is driving by and sees a large group of people smoking in front of a house, he could think there is a party there.

I'd say smoking in front of the house during a party is a risk management issue

Is there a reason people aren't smoking in the back of the house? The young folks make things way too difficult lol

Her posting means that no place has said "Smoking is not allowed indoors." That would mean no one could smoke in their own home. What many places have done is say something like "Smoking is not allowed in a public building" or "This is a smoke-free building." Banning smoking in public buildings =/= banning smoking "indoors."

Same here. I don't get what the big deal is. You walk out back, smoke, come back inside.

The OP's house is probably off-campus in a residential neighborhood with neighbors who complain about the noise of people smoking out back. At least that's the case for most chapters at my university.

And since it will probably be asked, at my chapter no one is allowed outside to smoke, period, because of noise issues. Smoking is not permitted inside.

Forgive my ignorance with this question, but I've never smoked so I've never encountered this problem...but so then what do the smokers in your fraternity do? Do they go down the street to smoke? Are you just known as a "no smoking" fraternity on your campus?

I hope people aren't going outside in groups of 300 to smoke. My chapter's houses were both off-campus, so if we went outside, we went out in groups of no more than 5.

And smoking is not permitted outside or inside?

Thank you MC :)

Sorry I should have been clearer. My campus does not recognize Greek housing, so by "house" I mean the place where brothers live and we occasionally have parties. Basically, during parties no one smokes, beyond that situation you just go outside.

I have learned, the hard way, that one should not make general sweeping comments.
In the past few months the news carried stories from NYC that laws were being looked at in controlling out-door smoking in public areas.
And that is the only story I remember-there could be more.

And the point of my questions was not really totally based on heath issues.
I was think more along the lines of public safety and risk management. There have been a rash of fires in dorms and other campus/student housing units caused by smoking and open flames.

And that would be a whole separate issue from private housing or homes.

We have seen, all too may times, that rules, policies, and laws are very different between jurisdictions.

So it would be well worth a look if one is reviewing polices.

Yeah, "ventilation system" was probably not what I meant. What I meant was "look at why the smoke that's contained to one room with a heavy door is filtering into the other rooms." But that was really long to say.

And yes, there are some places (depending on where the house is) where the townies will call the cops if a fraternity guy farts too loud. The last thing you want is people complaining of butts in their yard - the fraternity will get the blame even if it wasn't them doing it. The townie kids are well aware of this and take advantage of it.

If you're a non-smoker, there probably is nothing that can be done that you won't smell the smoke throughout the house. Especially since it's in the basement and probably seeps up through the whole house that probably has air ducts going throughout. I don't know if smokers don't notice, but non-smokers do. Having to smoke outside the house or apartment or building is a pretty common occurrence and I suspect this house is more unusual than not and the smokers (as well as the "I only smoke when I drink"-ers will have to suck it up and go outside in the cold to smoke eventually.

Or you know, not smoke, but that's another issue.