A smoke-free campus?
Just when smokers here at the U of O thought they could cough a sigh of relief with the stunning failure of Measure 50, along comes this story in the ODE, titled “Students push for smoke-free campus.”
According to the story, which is mostly about the Great American Smokeout, ASUO President Emily McLain said she would consider discussing the creation of a committee with Provost Linda Brady to explore making the U of O smoke-free.
The ODE story namedrops a lot of silly sounding organizations in its article, such as the American Non-smokers’ Rights Foundation, the Clean Air Project and the Fresh Air Initiative. I don’t even smoke, but I’m thinking of taking it up just because these people make non-smokers look so ridiculous. Do you people seriously feel that your health is compromised by someone smoking in the open air?
On top of this, the Oregon Legislature passed a law banning smoking from all public buildings earlier in the year, including previously protected bars, bingo halls and bowling alleys.
November 10th, 2007 at 1:31 am
As we used to say in (high school) debate:
“Um…. Impacts?”
November 10th, 2007 at 1:43 am
Actually, I do think that my health is compromised by people smoking in ‘open air’. Not if they are 100 ft away from me, no, but if I am walking behind someone on the sidewalk…or standing in the vicinity of a smoker, yes.
I’m sure Ted and Andrea can attest to what it felt like to breathe wonderfully thick and polluted air for the last month.
That is not to say I necessarily agree with the restrictions of a smoke-free campus, but second-hand smoke is real.
November 10th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Emily does need to read up on the impact story… here’s a good place to start.
November 10th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
Emily does need to read up on the impact story… here’s a good place to start.
Zealots are perfectly willing to lie or cite stories that have been proven false in order to advance their cause. Especially anti-smoking and animal rights activists. Why bother with facts when there are people out there who need to be told how to live their lives?
November 10th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
Also, the most telling quote from the ODE’s shitty article:
No, you’re forcing them off of campus. Not sure what that has to do with “a corner”.
November 10th, 2007 at 8:24 pm
Yeah, when the whole “Hey, cigarettes are bad for you” argument failed, anti-smokers started cooking health studies on second-hand smoke. Then the argument became “you don’t really want to kill Little Billy, do you?”
November 10th, 2007 at 11:42 pm
including previously protected bars, bingo halls and bowling alleys.
Bars aren’t public buildings, they’re places of public accommodation, which is a stupid bloody category of things. A bar is owned by a private party, and as such it should be the owner’s business what happens within. Goddamned socialist nannies.
November 11th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Eh, seems kinda dumb to ban it campus wide, perhaps just designate certain smoking areas and hope that its enough to please everyone.
November 11th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
“I’m sure Ted and Andrea can attest to what it felt like to breathe wonderfully thick and polluted air for the last month.”
Wait: China’s air quality can be attributed to second-hand smoke? For reals?