Students at both the University of Michigan and Purdue University would have to either quit or find somewhere else to puff up if a smoking ban under serious consideration at both Midwestern schools is implemented.

The Michigan initiative bans smoking anywhere on its three campuses and, in lieu of receiving a ticket, offenders will be forced to attend workshops encouraging them to drop the habit.

“We are working to promote a culture of health, and this fits into that philosophy … We believe a smoke-free environment is another strong way to encourage a healthy lifestyle,” said Kallie Michels, associate vice president of communication at Michigan. “We hope that the policy will translate into more members of our community quitting smoking or never starting.”

The goal of the initiative is to make the campus completely smoke-free by July 2011 in order to create a “culture of health.”

“A campus-wide smoke free environment will help reduce the risk of second-hand smoke and ensure a healthier environment for faculty, staff, students and visitors,” the initiative states.

To help students quit smoking, Michigan is planning new programs that will be more accessible to faculty and staff.

These programs will offer an array of services to faculty, including free anti-smoking products, counseling, and co-pay reductions on certain prescription drugs to help employees quit. Students can get similar offers through University Health Service.

Additionally, Purdue University is in the initial stages of a campus-wide smoking ban similar to the Michigan proposal. The university has received a lot of ideas and student feedback supporting the ban, according to Purdue spokesperson Jeanne Norberg.

Norberg cited reasons similar to Michels’ for implementing the smoking ban at the Indiana school, namely health insurance costs, secondhand smoking and the health of students and employees.

Costs to initiate the program will depend on what the university ultimately decides to implement, however, she is optimistic a plan will be in place by January.

Currently nine campuses or systems nationwide are smoke-free, including the University of California-San Francisco, the Indiana University system and the University of Iowa.

No University of Wisconsin campus is currently entirely smoke-free. However, System spokesperson David Giroux said UW-Platteville is currently considering a campus-wide smoking ban, and that a student committee has been formed to consider the ban’s implementation.