It’s been nearly two weeks since the Illinois smoking ban took effect, but for some NIU students, it seems like nothing changed.

“It doesn’t seem like anyone’s making a big deal about it,” freshman business major Stephanie Bucz said.

The Smoke Free Illinois Act, in effect since Jan. 1, prohibits smoking within 15 feet of building entrances, operable windows and areas near ventilation systems. In accordance with the law, no-smoking stickers have been placed at building entrances, and smokers violating the ban will face fines totaling $250.

However, freshman biology major April Strothman said enforcing the smoking ban at NIU is useless.

“There are too many of us here to enforce it,” Strothman said. “I haven’t seen anyone going around and enforcing it.”

Tom Hinde, a freshman business major at Harper College in Palatine who was visiting NIU, also agreed the ban was less strict at NIU.

“By our school, they definitely enforce it,” Hinde said. “They have registered officers who patrol the campus and write you a smoking ticket if you are within 15 feet of the door.”

At Harper, Hinde said violators are fined $15.

“It’s almost like an underage smoking ticket,” Hinde said.

The ban’s enforcement has been one of the questions students have had about the law. According to the law’s text, local health departments and law enforcement agencies are supposed to enforce the ban.

The University Police department was unavailable for comment regarding the enforcement of the ban. The law also prohibits smoking within restaurants and bars. Steve Cunningham, vice president of administration and human resources, said NIU is used to indoor bans.

“NIU has had a general indoor smoking ban in effect for several years, so the campus community was already accustomed to the types of restrictions contained in the Smoke Free Illinois Act,” Cunningham said.