In the morning, I am a freight train. From the door of the BSC to my usual table in the corner where I sit outside alone and read The New York Times, I shuffle my feet and pour black, caffeinated fuel into my gut; the burning cigarette stiffly projecting from my mouth sends puffs of smoke into the air; a clear sign of progress and production. I am the industrial revolution, and I . well, I suppose I’m getting ahead of myself.

I would like to thank Natalie Collins and her associates for taking such a keen interest in my personal health and that of the student body as a whole. I agree with her 100 percent that smoking can have serious, negative side effects on health and that everyone should be informed before making a decision in the matter. However, I feel that the positive energy of this group would be more wisely and efficiently spent in the pursuit of other goals-if their true intent is sincerely public health.

One must ask, “How can I most effectively improve the issue of clean air on campus?” The immediate thought is to round up all the smokers and ship them to the Madrid Campus, where the smoke flows like wine. But upon closer reflection one might realize that the cancerous impurities in the air are, in fact, not mainly a product of the Phillip Morris Corporation.

How many carcinogens come pouring out the backs of those lawn mowers that weekly descend upon our little garden? I am willing to bet that if all of the pollution produced from Saint Louis University lawn care in one week was placed into a container, it would contain more cancer-causing agents than those emitted by smokers in a month. (Let’s get that damn Medical research facility finished and test my theory.) The small hipster colony of South Grand has a stunning amount of residents clipping their grass with vintage, non-polluting, push-driven mowers. What a great idea.

God only knows how many times during my one-year stint at Marguerite hall I entered the building gagging and pale-faced. No, not because of the one or two-or zero-smokers outside, but because of the monster truck, sports car, H3 Hummer, ridiculousmobile that mommy and daddy bought had just gone screaming out of the parking lot and left a trail of black air that John D. Rockefeller would most certainly be proud of.

How about only vehicles with X-amount of emissions being allowed to park or drive on campus? Perhaps that is hitting too close to home for some of those who signed the smoke-free campus petition.

The fact of the matter is that the urban lifestyle is bad for your health. A study done in Athens found that urban living doubles the risk of pulmonary disease compared to rural living (“Urban Living, Tobacco Smoking, and Chronic Pulmonary Disease” January 1992, Epidemiology, Vol. 3, No. 1). A recent University News article cited that “there is no risk-free exposure to second-hand smoke,” but one is left wondering what such a vague statement implies. Does it imply instant death or just a fraction of a percent increase in health risks? And how do we weigh those implications against, or separate them from the lung-full of exhaust I receive from a bus on Grand when I try to cross the street?

It must be understood that making the choice to live in the city is choosing to live with a wild mix of people, cultures and chemicals. Any attempt to purify the air with a small-area smoking ban immediately conjures images of running into a burning building with a Nalgene water bottle-not exactly effective. If anything is to be done about the issue, I would propose a greater smoke-free radius around all doors and similar high-traffic areas.

I will continue to roll up another smoke though I know it is bad for me. I know it will shorten my life, but I also know it goes really well with coffee. I signed the petition, partially because it was required in order to receive a free flying disc and partially because I agree with the principles behind this movement. I value clean air and feel that I often don’t get enough of it in this city. I’m with Smoke.Free.SLU if it wants to clean up the air at this school, but I would suggest we all take a deep breath and rethink the rationale of our pursuits.

Travis Brimhall is a senior in the College of Education and Public Service.