Smoking

by Chris Potaski

There are so few times that I am right. That being said, the issue of smoking on campus is one of those glorious occasions. To be perfectly blunt about cigarettes, they are dumb. Under most circumstances, I do not mind stupidity-it can, in fact, be quite entertaining. However, smoking is one of those acts that I find encroaches on my rights of civility.

Cigarettes are dirty, smelly, unhealthy, and annoying. I know it is acceptable to have those qualities. I just don't like it when I have to breathe those qualities in or see them all over the ground. It is this basic lack of consideration and respect that I loath so much about the smoking population. As if these lawful acts of selfishness and lack of caring were not enough, smokers carry on their tradition of stupidity and inconsideration by smoking in the dormitories with their doors open, or by smoking right outside the doorway. One might think that common courtesy is enough to prevent this, but apparently smokers lack this quality so both New York State and Nassau County were forced to pass health laws. Smokers are diverting scarce school resources by requiring Adelphi to hire a full-time worker to clean up after smokers.

Another cigarette-related issue is that some smokers, in their infinite wisdom, are putting out their cigarettes inside buildings, on the carpet, thus destroying it. I am a fair person and I know (or at least I have been told) some smokers are "decent people." Now I hope this elusive group is reading this and can teach their fellow smokers how to behave in society, or at least lead by example and stop smoking all together.