CREDIT: LAUREN DIETRICH
Now that marijuana is legal, several properties are going smoke-free which is a violation of people's rights.

In recent years a number of properties such as colleges and universities, hospitals and sport stadiums have gone completely smoke-free. Smoke-free locations have become more and more prevalent especially due to the fact that marijuana is now legal and the regulations state that you can smoke marijuana wherever you can smoke tobacco. These places have taken out the already reduced number of smoking zones on their premises and I believe that is a violation of people’s rights.

Although there is no denying that cigarettes are bad for you, it is a legal substance. People have the right to choose whether or not they want to smoke cigarettes and they are aware of the consequences that come from smoking. If someone is of legal age to purchase and smoke cigarettes then I think it is arrogant for facilities to just tell them they cannot do it anymore. Of course I am glad that doctors cannot smoke in the hospitals anymore or you cannot chain smoke while eating a meal in a restaurant. Having six feet of sidewalk outside to smoke a cigarette really is not going to cause harm to other people.

Taking smoking zones out of the college is not going to make people stop smoking. Cigarettes are highly addictive and just because they have to walk a little bit further to light one up, does not mean they are going to be able to quit cold turkey.

If you look at alcohol, it is treated extremely different than cigarettes. There are several negative behavioural and health repercussions from drinking alcohol such as liver disease, cirrhosis and alcohol dependency. People talk about being bothered by smoke in the air as they are walking past smoking areas, but what about going into the bar bathroom and slipping on puke, accidentally getting caught in the middle of a six-person fight or having someone touch you inappropriately because they were “too drunk”?

For the people that complain about the campus smelling of smoke everywhere, you are wrong. The college is a large piece of property and there is only a handful of smoking sections left, many of which are in areas with low foot traffic. You can see all of the over dramatic students that go out of their way to walk two feet beside the smoking areas and cough in the most animated ways. Suzy has no problem sharing her negative thoughts about a stranger smoking yet no one is allowed to comment on the 20 shots of vodka she has every weekend.

Regardless of what I think, the number of smoke-free facilities is going to continue to increase especially with the legalization of marijuana. For now, people can continue to smoke their cigarettes between classes.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.