Dear Editor,
After walking around campus today, I have come to further realize just how rude people can be – well I guess that’s too general – rather how rude smokers can be.
I obviously am not a smoker and am deeply offended that many smokers seem to feel that their need to smoke supercedes my right to breathe clean, fresh air on my way to and from class. There are so manyannoying and downright rude things smokers on this campus do that it is hard to know where to begin.
Well, first of all there’s the ignoring of the clearly posted “do not smoke past this point” signs. Those signs are usually ignored on rainy days when one or more rude smokers will huddle under a building overhang, thus polluting the air directly in front of the building entrance. This makes no sense to me because it’s not OK to get your hair wet, but it is OK to turn your lungs and the lungs of others to a foul black crisp.
Then there’s the annoyance of walking behind a smoker. On a cold day it is especially vile because the smoke gets up into your nose and burns like heck, that is in addition to making your clothes smell like an ashtray.
Then you find out after walking five blocks behind this rude person that you then have to sit next to them in class, but don’t worry, they will do something pleasant like spray cheap perfume on themselves to “cover” up the smell, which is charming in itself.
However, my personal favorite, being the tree hugger that I am, is when someone is smoking in their vehicle and decides that when they are done with their cigarette that there is no better place for the remains then out the window and onto the grass. I for one have never been in a car that didn’t have an ashtray … use it!
At this point you are probably wondering what the solution to this menace is. Well, kids – I propose to make the entire ETSU campus smoke-free. My right to breathe clean, smoke-free air will override your so-called “right” or rather ignorant addiction anyday!
Crystal Diaz

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