U of Illinois smoking ban takes effect in January

CHAMPAIGN — The University of Illinois is preparing to go smoke-free.

The (Champaign) News-Gazette reports the state’s flagship campus in Champaign-Urbana will ban smoking starting Jan. 1.

That’s not sitting well with some tailgaters who say they want to light up.

Chris Roegge puffed on a cigar during the Illini’s last home game and says he thinks the new ban is “kind of silly” and questioned how the school will enforce the new policy.

Champaign resident Dan Tappendorf said “political correctness has gone too far.”

The campus already bans smoking inside buildings and within 25 feet of a building entrance.

A school spokeswoman says the smoking ban had been set to begin in November, but administrators decided to delay the change because “we didn’t want to hit people right before finals.”