Campus Dakota
Schools => North Dakota => University of North Dakota => Topic started by: nick06 on November 02, 2006, 02:22:19 PM
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I'm a non-smoker. I think smoking is an unhealthy and disgusting habit. I am however against the open air smoking ban on campus. I agree with the ban on smoking inside buildings because of the hazardous effects of the concentration of second hand smoke. The second hand smoke arguement does not hold water outside on campus grounds as the pollution a smoker emits pales in comparison to what we breath in from other sources such as vehicles.
As for the legislation of health on campus I think we all must realize the slippery slope we find ourselves on when we start to regulate someone elses actions when they don't violate your own rights. When we start to decide for people more and more what we think is ethical for them to do to their own bodies, we need to ask ourselves where is this going. After tabacco, what about other addictive or potentially harmful substances or practices? How about soda, caffeinated beverages or fatty foods? Should we regulate piercings, tattoos, how about not exercisng or exercising to much?
Hopefully these are all gross exaggerations but I hope they give us pause to think about the direction and amount of regulation that already exists- some necessary, some unnecessary. I would love it if everyone stopped smoking of their own accord because I know that its harmful to their bodies, but when it doesn't affect my health and they are outdoors its their body. Besides I would hate to have to wear a helmet to walk to class because someone else thinks its safer for me! :thumbsup: