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Smoking restrictions have no effect |
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Thursday, 01 March 2007 |
New restrictions on smoking around Eggers Residence Hall, which will be put into place next fall for all other on-campus housing, seem to have had no effect at all. The policy is that there will be a 20-foot No-Smoking Perimeter around all residence halls beginning in the fall for the 2007-08 school year.
I
understand that many of Appalachian State University students are
cigarette smokers, but after these new rules were put into place I was
hoping to see at least a little change.
However, I still seen many people smoking right outside the dorms and
nobody is really doing anything about it. According to a message sent
out by the Eggers Hall seventh floor RA, people have even been smoking
inside the dorms.
I do not understand what is so hard about standing or sitting --since
in most cases there are benches placed 20 feet away from the buildings
-- away from the front door and open windows of the building. Not
everybody smokes, so why should everybody have to walk through a fog of
smoke not only on their way to class but also on their way into their
dorms?
“The Eggers Hall Resident Student Association voted on Jan. 17, 2007 to begin
implementing the policy in our building beginning Feb.1,
2007 and even extended the perimeter to 30 feet by unanimous vote,”
Laura Metzger, RD for Eggers Resident Hall, said.
This is also a respect issue as much as it is a matter of obeying the
rules. When you smoke inside, you are not only breaking the rules but
you are disrespecting our housing staff that have to clean up the mess
and the smell.
You are disrespecting the RDs and RAs who are in charge of keeping the
residents in line and safe, and you are disrespecting your fellow
residents who have to smell and breath the smoke. Many students are
allergic to smoke and this causes a great problem.
“My staff and I made sure the new 30-foot, No-Smoking perimeter policy
was publicized extensively throughout our building to both residents
and guests well in advance of Feb.1 noting that the policy would be
strictly enforced,” Metzger said. “The problem we have encountered is
littering. The residents who smoke beyond the 30-foot perimeter simply
drop their cigarette butts where they are standing or sitting at the
picnic table instead of carrying them back to the building and
disposing of them in the urn.”
Alright guys, so I realize that you want to smoke, but we are not 5 years old. If you want to smoke, follow the rules.
I realize it gets cold and you do not want to stand out 20 or 30 feet
away from the building in the snow, rain, cold and sleet, but why
should the rest of us suffer by smelling your cigarette smoke and
having to walk through clouds?
There have been many residents who have had their rooms filled up with
cigarette smoke due to students smoking underneath their windows.
If you want to smoke that badly, then step 20 to 30 feet away.
Here’s a better idea: do something good for yourself and the rest of us
and quit smoking. Be responsible and respectful, and take your smoking
20 to 30 feet away from my building please.
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