By Brittany Arquette
City Times
A popular trend has been sweeping through San Diego the past year. No, its not a new hair style, or the latest pair of jeans. It’s the decision to ban smoking.
In San Diego you can no longer smoke on the beaches, or at any state parks. Even Mesa College has banned smoking on it’s campus since 2006. Now Oceanside will soon be voting to ban smoking on their beaches.
The smoking ban craze doesn’t stop in San Diego. All across the U.S. states are banning smoking. Laws against smoking in your car and smoking around children are popping up everywhere. It seems Las Vegas in he only city not jumping on the bandwagon.
Now the smoking ban issue as made its way to us at City College. On our 2007-2008 student election ballot we will be faced with the popular question: To smoke, or not to smoke?
If the majority votes ‘not to smoke,’ than smoking will no longer be allowed anywhere on campus. Students at City have mixed opinions about the subject.
“You know designated areas are fine, I can deal with that. But to say you can’t smoke at all? I don’t know about that.” Says City student Kathleen Harrison, “I mean, I’m here at school all day so where will I go to smoke, all the way to my car?”
Kathleen opposes the idea of banning smoking. She says smoking should be a personal choice people make, not made for you by putting the question on a ballot.
However, many students support the idea of a smoke free campus. Student Erika Woodall says she believes smoking should be banned in all public places for health reasons.
“It’s a nasty habit that could make you die sooner than normal,” she explains, “Secondhand smoke does kill. I don’t want some stranger who smokes around me to damage my health.”
If students vote to make City a smoke free campus, a smokers prevention program will be offered on campus to help students and faculty quit smoking.
In the end it will all come down to the majority. Students who have a strong opinion on the subject are encouraged to vote, because the outcome of the decision will take effect immediately.
