Show t S 1 N y t Smokers should find new expectations of selves Guest Editorial Jennifer jenni fer Olsen I The current issue of c Ing rights on thi this thijs S ca n- n pus has prompted me to speak out I am a non smoker non er eras as of August 2 1990 and wrote the following Iel letter letter ter as as a smoker last ado not flot stand on a platform for either argument and because of t the e recent debate the polarities of this issue need I to find some common ground and understanding of one another It Is necessary if weare weare we weare are to share the buildings uil Ings on this campus November 13 I voted for the rights ts of smokers to smoke in irl d designated sig- sig and ventilated areas b both th in the college center I and on the ther rest st of oJ campus I expect to t tell you nothing noth ing in the following paragraphs paragraphs paragraphs para para- graphs that you haven't already considered pondered over or entertained I in your own mind I rather want to bring the subject out into the clouded air so that we might find growth and understanding understanding under under- st standing in our pursuit of ah a h healthy lifestyle With an an n a awareness of this I hope that you will ask yourself the questions questions questions ques ques- I am asking my myself eif rut ut I the first of these must must be What thought are ewe tye e enter enter- I taming Before you jump to conclusions I want to tell you my rhy t life style up up Q every rh morning to a mouth full of cotton then a flick of the Ric and the sweet sweet aroma iroma aroma of monoxide life support system tem tern D Don't Dont get me me S wrong wrong I IS to wake up this way and currently believe that I enjoy it Smoking has as been my faithful companion every morning for for quite some time I like to think of it as consistent consist consistent t tent nt mote more so tha Ta spouses spouse's morning kiss kiss' might be Through the days months and ye years rs I have learned to relax relax with a Cigarette enter entertain enter enter- tain tah myself witha cigarette I meet meet new p people ople loaning and borrowing a cigarette and dev develop loJ social style With a cigarette I I I IL Because Because I 1 understand you I on a level that a smoker non-smoker I I could not not I dont don't stand on a aI I platform i above you and I Ii suspect that you understand me We are intelligent We are individuals We are in conscious con con- conscious control of our actions intentions and investments Included Include l I hope you will be beable beable beable able to individually and consciously consciously conscious con- con y consider my credibility in the appeal I will impose 1 upon pon your tour I sion slon I will not ask that you change anything about your life style How HON could I ask that you change and not ask the same same of myself But in your consideration of my plea please open the iron gates of your fragile ego so that their slant might be somehow al al- al I have tried to quit smoking smoking smoking ing five times each failing to last longer than five days Thelast The Thelast Thelast last time I tried to extinguish the habit I found myself refreshing memories of all the reasons I should quit I Inow know now what they are you know what they are and pounding them in deeper Y with th a sledge hammer called the Surgeon General doesn't seem to light that internal fire f for r most habitual smokers Smoking causes cancer cancer cancer can can- emphysema complicated pregnancy heart disease lung disease less oxygen to the brain bla bla bla bla bla blarr But the oxygen flow in my brain is consistent enough that I know when Im I'm hearing repetition Yet these things are an unavoidable unavoidable unavoidable un un- un- un avoidable factor in the investment investment invest invest- Investment ment of a long and healthy lifestyle I think twice every time I get to the top of four flights of stairs and feel Im I'm closer to the top of Mt Everest I think twice when Im I'm on my way to the store Sunday morning to buy a apack apack apack pack of cigarettes with my last 1 two dollars in change saved i for laundry day These examples examples examples ex ex- amples are a realistic part of oft t the e destructive progression inevitable to me as a smoker Though ough this progression has been present for the entirety of my smoking career I have just recently thought about the reasons I wont won't just stop You and and I I are young enough now that those Surgeon General effects caused by smoking have not yet perspired to the surface Old people should quit smoking but the conception I have of my personal smoking status says You have all kinds of time to quit smoking before it becomes that serious which to some extent is the truth I haven't yet decided how far that extension is Being an intelligent moral and growth ori oriented growth smoker you try to live on a value system system tem that agrees with all other i to a. r rr r r I o 1 C f G o c i I I think Ill I'll go back to school L CPS 10 WAR 1 L N ft I ToNs o aspe aspects of life So do I. I 11 I have no doubt that we are living ina Ina In ip ipa a constant growth process process I and in this process process process our values must grow with with us knowing III I I the im implications of a carbon monoxide life support system system system tem as all smokers do we pave have undoubtedly entertained enter- enter thoughts concerning ft it t. t My question is why do we continue to sustain the act Why do I smoke Why do you smoke How might we reconstruct our idea of smoking smoking smoking ing in a more growth- growth oriented direction I smoke I i for reasons that seem eem valid J I justify my y addiction addic- addic addic addiction i tion ion for pe personal and societal societal l reasons Smoking ng includes include mein mein me pe pein in a social ring pg of smokers r When i Im I'm on the telephone ne smoking gives s me something to do with my other hand Cigarettes have haye a calming effect effect effect ef ef- ef- ef iI in aH aU i st stressful situations Smoking is a friend I a companion companion companion com com- panion and ap an excuse for unhealthy unhealthy unhealthy un un- healthy asp aspects ts of my life For instance smoking is a great t tw w way y to avoid exercise Acknowledging Ac Ac- know edging th the comforts of smoking i is isone k one Ione thing a smokers smoker's focus fotus I towards it might be be different and even even I out of balance How can a astick stick of nic nicotine tine contain all these sublime sublime t attributes and nd when ask asked th the question always al- al al always l- l ways asked by rs Why do o you smoke I I Have no answer Through writing this letter to you an intelligent smoker with high integrity and awareness I have found anew a anew anew new angle of thought with new expectations of myself Through reading this letter I want you to find new expectations expectations expectations for yourself expectations expectations expectations that might somehow change the perspective you have acqui acquired ed concerning the way you view the habitual custom My expectations are not unrealistic and I expect to see no dramatic change in either of our ou life styles I do expect you to make conscious decisions concerning the way you view this life style and growth process I want you to refer to a mental picture of these expectations every time an uncontrolled spark lands landson on your finger every time your eyes burn bum with the sting of smoke every time your bare foot oot lands in the overflowing overflowing overflowing over over- flowing glass dish full of grey- grey black ash every time you are morally pushed into the dismal dismal dis dis- dismal mal corner of a public place called the smoking section every time you are accused of being unhealthy and categorized as dysfunctional or maladjusted I want you to react in a personal and significant significant sig sig- way way even even if that reaction is only to read this letter again |