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The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Smokers who flout rules cloud up campus

smokingWeb.jpg
Illustration by Trevor Moore

I’ve had it up to here with the disrespectful nature of cigarette smokers on campus.

I am so tired of being stuck behind smokers while I’m walking to class, their toxic and disgusting smoke slapping me in the face and invading my clean air.

Also, I am infuriated by people who smoke right in front of buildings. There is no smoking within 25 feet of buildings, just in case nobody has seen or can’t read the signs posted near the doors.

And it’s absolutely appalling when smokers don’t properly dispose of their cigarette butts. The other day, I saw someone just throw one on the sidewalk without stomping it out and throwing it away.

Fefore all the smokers on campus come after me with torches and pitchforks, let me make something exceedingly clear — I don’t give two flying cows if people smoke.

While I personally would never smoke, since my mother and team of doctors would take turns murdering me, I don’t care if others do.

If they want to put all those chemicals into their body and do irreversible damage to their internal organs, fine. More power to them.

I understand that it’s their choice to do what they want to with their bodies, and I respect their decision.

However, I would like that respect to be shown to me as well.

Because of my heart condition, I am not supposed to be around cigarette smoke. In fact, it was a big problem when I would visit my chain-smoking father because he would defy court mandates dictating that he couldn’t smoke around me.

I understand that I will never be able to stay away from all smokers. It’s kind of hard when a lot of the smoking sections on campus are on main walkways.

But it is ridiculous that I can’t walk on campus without encountering someone who ignores the designated smoking areas and smokes while they are walking.

Why can’t smokers respect my choice to not develop more health problems and stick to the designated smoking areas that I, and people with more serious conditions or who are pregnant, try to avoid?

And while it’s probably not the majority of Chico State smokers who are being inconsiderate when they choose to light up, it’s everyone’s concern.

It only takes a few people committing bad behavior to ruin it for the entire group.

For instance, there have been calls for a smoke-free campus by students on the Chico College Confessions Facebook page.

While I personally think a smoke-free campus is a little extreme, if smokers can’t be respectful of the rest of the students on campus, then it may be the only option to ensure that this behavior is corrected.

Because, really, I shouldn’t have to wear a gas mask whenever I walk around campus.

Megan Mann can be reached at [email protected] or @meganisthemann on Twitter.

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