Get Your Ash Off My Campus
Ben Garcia
Well it’s finally going to happen at MCC. It’s something that has already happened at over 500 other colleges and universities across America. It’s also something that has yet to happen at ASU, U of A, or NAU.
Starting in July 2012, a ban on tobacco will go into effect on the campuses of MCC along with the rest of the Maricopa Community Colleges.
Thank God!
I’ve always hated getting that whiff of tobacco-laced air as I made my way across campus from class to class.
I know I’m not the only one either because I’ve yet to meet a nonsmoker who enjoys a hit or two of secondhand smoke from time to time.
I’m not going to argue that smokers have a right to smoke because I am a big believer of personal rights. With that being said, don’t I have the right to walk around campus and not breathe in secondhand smoke?
Just like anyone else, I hate when bureaucrats tell me I can’t do something. In this case, the bureaucracy of MCCCD was on the far bigger side of nonsmokers when they decided to ban tobacco.
The tobacco ban is part of an initiative called Breath Easy Maricopa. This initiative is about promoting health among Maricopa Community Colleges employees.
Now, I understand the health risks of tobacco and I’m pretty sure you do as well, but never mind the smokers.
Secondhand smoke has been proven to have negative effects on nonsmokers’ health.
I’m sure that people who are reading this and disagreeing with me are mostly likely smokers who aren’t happy about the tobacco ban. In fact I’m sure you smokers probably blame some tree-hugger health nut for banning tobacco on campus.
How about this for a thought: You smokers had your chance and you blew it.
Yep, to be as cliché as possible, you had your chance and it went up in smoke.
All these newer laws about not being able to smoke a certain distance from a door were your warning shots.
These laws were compromises.
They allowed you to still smoke, but they limited where you could light up in order to keep the nonsmokers, who don’t appreciate secondhand smoke and are by far the majority of the population at MCC, happy.
But still, many of you chose to smoke in the walkway, or at nonsmoking benches, or my personal favorite, right outside of a classroom door before class.
