Clarion U students protest smoking ban

CLARION, Pa., Sept. 16 (UPI) -- Campus officials say students at Clarion University lit up to protest a ban against smoking, even outdoors, at Pennsylvania's state-owned universities.

About 50 students gathered Monday outside the student center to defy rules imposed last week on the campuses of the 14 schools in the State System of Higher Education, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Tuesday.

Clarion officials handed the protesters yellow cards warning of fines or disciplinary action, said Rebekah Alviani, a sophomore who joined some of the protesters in putting tobacco on the cards and rolling them up and smoking them. "It tasted terrible," said Alviani, 19.

The new policy has its supporters, who plan a rally Thursday in support of the ban. "I don't like walking and having smoke blow in my face," said Rebecca Burgess, 20, who plans to attend the anti-smoking rally.