Cigarettes for sale at smoke-free Auckland University

Pies and chips aren't the only thing on offer at a university convenience store, cigarettes are for sale, despite the campus' smoke-free policy.

Munchy Mart, on level one of Auckland University, sells a variety of snacks and drinks.
Cigarettes are kept in a cupboard behind the counter.

Munchy Mart's manager, who asked not to be named, said the store had operated on campus for 14 years.

"From the time we've been there, we've always sold cigarettes. When the university went smoke-free we reduced it to just one shelf."

But the manager said by the end of the year, there would be no cigarettes sold.

She said she understood the university was in the process of implementing a contract that banned the sale of tobacco products on campus.

"We knew [about the contract] for a long time... We have a good relationship with the university and it's definitely a good thing anyway, it's just how are you going to implement it so students don't get too affected."

The store's manager couldn't give an exact figure of how many cigarettes were sold daily at Munchy Mart, but it was "very minimum".

In 2010 Auckland University became the first smoke-free university in the country.

A spokesperson for Auckland University said it did have a say in what on-campus convenience stores sold, and was aware Munchy Mart stocked cigarettes.

"The sale of tobacco products will be banned under a new contract, which is currently under negotiation."

As negotiations were ongoing, the university was "not in a position to offer further details".

Auckland University Students' Association president Will Matthews said the association was "obviously very supportive" of the university's smoke-free policy, introduced in 2010.

Matthews said he was aware of the new contract under negotiation to ban the sale of cigarettes.

"I think it's the way to go and we're fully supportive of it. I think it should be a requirement for any retailers on campus."

As for why it had taken seven years for the university to implement a contract that banned the sale of cigarettes, he imagined it was "just to do with when contracts come up for renewal".

Auckland University was "currently in the process of revitalising their commercial environment", Matthews added.

The association's president said he felt only a small number of students would be unhappy about the move.

"You're always going to have some who are upset about it because obviously we still have student smokers on campus who buy from Munchy Mart. For the most part students will support the move."

Auckland University's smoke-free policy states no one is to smoke "when in or on any facility of the university".