As election day approaches our campus, I am a non-smoker concerned about the referendum to further limit smoking on campus.

Even though DPS has stated that smoking in the parking garages and on sidewalks will be safe for smokers, I do not think people will walk to the edge of campus to smoke. Increasing the smoking restrictions on campus will stop people from smoking near doorways and as they walk through campus. If the current smoking restrictions are not being enforced, who is going to enforce new restrictions?

For the last few weeks, I have frequently heard the phrase “Everyone has the right to breath clean air,” which is tough to disagree with. However, this phrase and the movement behind it ignore the rights of our friends, teachers, and co-workers who decide to smoke.

While our campus lacks an organized group of smokers for smoke.free.slu and SGA to work with, I still feel that the rights and opinions of smokers should be respected. Many students covet the right to drink, stay up late and occasionally skip class, and while these personal actions are respected, smoking should be part of that list.

Last week, The University News published a column by Shelley Wehmeyer (“Madrid: top five”) about our Madrid campus and her top five places in Madrid. “Numero uno” on this list was “The Ashtray,” a designated smoking area on SLU’s Madrid campus. I would love to see a compromise like this made here on our St. Louis campus.

For the people still deciding how to vote this upcoming Monday, Feb. 25, I would recommend voting no on the smoking referendum.

Joe Piehl
Senior, College of Arts and Science