Since July 2015, Vassar College has officially been a smoke-free campus, meaning that “consumption, inhaling, exhaling, or burning any type of matter or substance that contains tobacco or plant product intended for inhalation” is prohibited on the grounds of the College. Like any prohibition not backed by a dedicated enforcement infrastructure, the policy largely relies on an honor system; as the original announcement from 2015 states, “the success of this policy depends upon the thoughtfulness, respect, and cooperation of everyone,” and “all faculty members, staff members, and students share the responsibility of following and enforcing the policy.”
Some students, however, have taken their commitment to the smoke-free policy even further. The Miscellany News has learned of a secretive group, known only as Cigarette Inhalers for the Good of Society (CIGS), who have adopted what they call a smoke-on-sight policy. Concerned about the presence of tobacco and marijuana products on campus, these diligent students have dedicated themselves to rooting out any such products they can and immediately smoking them to make sure no other students are harmed.
Numerous college administrators have lauded these students for their efforts at ridding the campus of tobacco and marijuana, as have local health officials. In a recently released statement, the Dutchess County Board of Health thanked the group profusely for their work.
“We are immensely grateful for the work that CIGS does to eliminate harmful substances from the Poughkeepsie area,” the Board wrote. “These products could be really dangerous if they were to fall into the wrong hands, and all of us sleep easier at night knowing that these dedicated students will not stop until they have found and smoked all the cigarettes, vapes, joints, bongs, spliffs, gronks, jumjums, squeepies, prangles and e-cigarettes in Dutchess County.”
Students, too, are thankful for the hard work that their community-minded peers do each and every day. Several shared anecdotes with The Miscellany News of CIGS going above and beyond to protect their community from the harmful effects of smoking products.
“I saw one of them with a vape pen, and he kept taking puffs until the cartridge was exhausted to make sure that nobody else could use it,” one student said. “That’s real dedication.”
“Once, this girl on my hall freshman year had marijuana in her room, and CIGS was kind enough to come and smoke it to protect her from the harms associated with drug usage,” another told The Miscellany News. “Thank goodness. Who knows what might have happened otherwise?”
Despite all this, members of CIGS still feel that their work is not yet done. Next, they plan to conscientiously visit local smoke shops undercover to purchase and consume all their inventory and ensure that the rest of the community is protected.
These good Samaritans ask for no payment and no thanks; the knowledge that they are doing good for their community is reward enough for them. Still, the next time you see a group of students working tirelessly to free the campus of tobacco and marijuana, tip your cap, and remember:
They’re doing it for you.