Students and visitors to the College of Southern Idaho can't pack heat on campus, and come Aug. 25 they won't be able to smoke either.

The CSI Board of Trustees unanimously decided Monday night that smoking won't be allowed anywhere on campus inside or out. If visitors want to smoke, they need to cross the street. Smoking won't be allowed even on the campus's perimeter sidewalks.

A handful of students led the recent effort to make CSI smoke-free. They said smokers are good people with a bad habit and public health is their main concern. They also said they issued an online survey, which 960 people filled out: 67 percent of the respondents said campus smoking is problematic.

"A non-smoker has the right to breathe clean air," said CSI student Casey Warner.

Students also told the board of trustees the college is emerging as a leader in health science education, and they stressed the new policy will promote that role.

According to the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation, only Boise State University and Brigham Young University-Idaho have campus-wide smoke-free policies.

A few survey respondents said they wouldn't return to CSI if they couldn't smoke on campus, the students said.

The board of trustees wants a plan of action within a month for the new policy.

Students offered some ideas Monday for enforcement. They said peer pressure would be the best way to uphold the policy. They also said campus security officers could issue $100 fines for first offenses.

The smoke-free student leaders said they think the fine should be cut in half if it's paid within three days, or cut down to $25 if the smoking culprit takes a free smoking cessation class through South Central Public Health District.

CSI Dean of Students Graydon Stanley said he thinks only really belligerent campus visitors will resist not smoking and possibly be fined.

Andrea Jackson can be reached at 208-735-3380 or Ajackson@magicvalley.com.