Student: smoking outside is his right

Dear Editor:

I’m writing in response to Nov. 12 letter titled “Student: Smokers steal fresh air.” Smoking is banned in all of the campus buildings–fine, no problem and understandable. But the commentary of not being able to sit and smoke on a bench, or outside the buildings, when there are ashtrays nearby, where is the logic in that? There are lounges in all of the buildings for students to use, but why is there no lounge for people who smoke? You don’t see us complaining about that. We (smokers) constantly go outside in all types of weather to have a cigarette between classes. What is the harm of standing outside? It’s the most ventilated area possible for the smoke to disperse.

It was also asked, “Why is there not a designated spot to smoke on campus?” Well, I call it the sidewalk, which is a public area. I say this because try having class in Mayfair, then in Wells, and then in A&S and only having 10 minutes or less, depending how long lectures run over, to get to class, and you want me to also have to find a spot between those buildings to stop and have a cigarette?

You want your right to clean air? What about MY right to have a cigarette?

Cities over the US already ban smoking in most establishments, and you want to ban it outside? That is like saying a person can’t drive a car, because the exhaust from cars produces chemicals into the air. Also, there is the question of “Does this school care so little for students well-being that it is willing to be silent and let many of us suffer from second hand smoke?” This is a Liberal Arts School, so different views will be represented, much like in the “real world.” If you do not like the view on this subject, then go to a PRIVATE school that matches EVERYTHING you believe a school should offer.

Joe Ludeman

Senior, Art

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 11 2005. Filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry