The University’s Student Government Association wants to know what students think about lighting up on campus.

With an increasing number of colleges and universities implementing campus-wide smoking bans, members of SGA said they want to gauge student interest at the University with a poll on the SGA blog.

“The smoking policy on campus is not something that is widely known,” said Suzanne Meller, SGA General Assembly secretary. “We’re exploring this because it’s an issue.”

The smoking policy on campus adopted in 2006 prohibits smoking in dormitories, all University facilities, Sanford Stadium and areas adjacent to buildings. An administrator told The Red & Black in an interview in September they would be open to changing the policy if students and faculty supported and proposed a different plan.

Cameron Secord, SGA vice president, said the results of the poll will be the first step to see if there is enough student interest to develop a new policy.

Keri Hasslinger, a junior furnishing and interiors major from Alpharetta, said Relay for Life and Colleges Against Cancer gathered student opinions at the Great American Smokeout in the Tate Student Center Plaza Thursday. The group asked students to voluntarily vote whether they would support a smoking ban.

Hasslinger said the groups will give their results to SGA to be considered.

“We’re concerned about everyone, regardless if they inhale first- or secondhand smoke,” she said.

And according to one University researcher’s newest findings, there might be more cause for concern with secondhand smoke than previously thought.

Luke Naeher, an associate professor in the College of Public Health, worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on a study assessing the levels of a nicotine byproduct called cotinine in nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke outdoors, according to a University news release.

The study found an average increase in cotinine, a marker of exposure to tobacco but not a carcinogen, of 162 percent for the volunteers who were stationed in an outdoor seating area or standing at bars, and a 102 percent increase for people outside of restaurants.

“Secondhand smoke contains several known carcinogens and the current thinking is that there is no safe level of exposure,” Naeher said in the news release. “So the levels that we are seeing are a potential public health issue.”

Athens-Clarke County enacted an indoor smoking ban in 2005, but most places still allow smoking outdoors – including the University.

“It would be up to the University to establish set policies,” said Ashley Morrow, an adviser to Colleges Against Cancer. “It really depends on what feels best.”

Morrow also said Athens-Clarke County has some of the strongest smoking ordinances in the state, and changing the University’s policy would be another step to reflect the county’s efforts. If a smoking ban is passed, Morrow said educating students further while gradually tightening the consequences would be ideal.