Editor,
If ignorance is truly bliss, there should be a lot more happy people out there.
Today, after my first class, I went 3/4 of the way across campus to a designated smoking area in order to have a cigarette. Immediately after I had lit up, some ignoramus walked by and commented, “I could smell that 50 yards out.” I replied, “Walk a different way.” I took offense at his comment, somewhat akin to a “hate crime.”
Smokers are people with rights, too. I have always gone out of my way to be considerate of the rights of others, non-smokers included. While I feel that the new UNM non-smoking policy is both progressive and needed, I also think it is much too oppressive. How is the smoking student who has back-to-back classes supposed to be accommodated when the nearest smoking area is halfway across campus?
May I suggest more designated smoking areas, put somewhat off the beaten path, and clearly labeled so that non-smokers who are reasonably considerate of others’ rights may avoid breathing secondhand smoke?
J. Steven Richards
UNM student
