A problem that has plagued many Mesa students has finally ended. No, not textbook prices, but the problem of what to do with inconsiderate smokers.
No longer will students be engulfed in the smell of cigarettes when walking to class or studying outside. Now smokers will have to trek to designated smoking areas, located in the middle of nowhere, where they belong.
The ban on smoking does not prevent students from keeping their beloved habit; it merely herds them into an area away from those who wish to keep their lungs functioning.
According to the Union Tribune, Mesa received an “F” from the American Lung Association less than two years ago for its smoker friendly campus. Now that these new measures are being taken, Mesa won’t be viewed as a smoker’s paradise anymore.
Since cigarette smoke has proven to be harmful it is very appropriate that smokers be confined at the edges of campus to surround themselves in their smoke clouds and spare the rest of us from the harms that go along with cigarettes.
Yes, there are some students who respect the fact that there are non-smokers, but we have all had that person light up next to us or walking in front of us to class.
The rule of not smoking under covered areas did not do anything to protect students walking to and from class. Now, students will not have to encounter smoke on campus and smokers can still enjoy smoking without harming anyone but themselves.
Not only will the new smoking ban prevent students from smoking on campus, but maybe it will encourage some smokers to cut back a little bit. Perhaps that cigarette isn’t worth the 10-minute walk.
Smokers have had their opportunity to smoke on campus, but now it’s time for clean air to prevail.
If smokers have a problem with the ban then maybe they should consider the fact that they are not the only ones on the campus. Some students have health issues and smoke only makes them worse.
Mesa College won’t have to be the littering ground for cigarette butts anymore. The campus and the air will be cleaner and, believe it or not, everyone will benefit.
It’s a new world today, one that does not include smoking.