Show Smoking Social Transgression Student Claims Dear Edit Editor r t tI I outside because because be because see people smoking a building be- be cause they trey are not allowed by law or policy to smoke inside the building They position themselves themselves themselves them them- selves just in front of the doors Every person who goes through the doors must pass the smokers and their smoke They are not just there them smoking they are socializing With more than smoking as d ii common interest the group of interacting smokers obstruct the flow of people trying to get inside Particularly on campuses I have seen men and women determined to smoke their cigarettes huddled next to the doors as I have described First I see this as a health issue because smokers non-smokers go through the secondhand secondhand second second- hand smoke screen Next I see this as a social issue because the smokers and smokers non-smokers are at constant battle for their respective rights to choose to be smokers or non Obviously Obviously Obviously Ob Ob- to date the smokers non-smokers have succeeded succeeded succeeded suc suc- in I getting indoor clean n air laws enacted The smokers are holding their position by standing directly outside the buildings inches away from the posted law on the doors By polluting the air around the buildings and littering the sidewalks steps and grounds around doorways with cigarette butts they further further further fur fur- ther mark their territorial rights Altho Although gh this may look like an environmental issue I see it as a social asocial issue because this population has segregated itself into these two distinct groups of people with different values about health and environment The two groups do not mix socially with each other in this setting In my observations I have not seen any n smokers non standing outside in freezing weather just to talk with people whose main purpose for being there is to poison themselves and their environ environ- ment Although the smokers and smokers non-smokers may have common interests comparable intelligence intelligence intelligence intel intel- quotients social and economic standards standards standards stand stand- ards the fact remains that the two groups are separated by the smoke screen I am not a smoker and I am in favor of theno the no smoking regulations in public buildings as they have been enforced I also would like to be able to enter a building on campus campus without having to take a deep breath and run in a diving manner mauler up steps and through the tre doors before my body needs another breath of clean indoor air I would like to be able to enter without being reminded that there is isa isa a sector of the population with which I have havea a a direct conflict When I worked at the Salt Lake Count County building which falls under the same clean in indoor indoor indoor in- in door air act I I found the same situation to be be true County workers hang out just at the doors filthy butt residue stinking air welcomes all visitors including VIPs and the Olympic tryout try- try tryout tryout for the I out course yard no have seen this seen this same sin eo at t churches where smoking is not considered an unpardonable unpardonable unpardonable donable transgression Airline companies in th the U. U no longer allow smoking on airplanes at anytime and are enforcing clean air acts in the air terminals At Atthe Atthe Atthe the Salt Lake City I l saw a smoking room which has been in one corner comer by gate C 10 1 0 for that concourse area The smokers had plenty of seating while waiting for forthe forthe forthe the arrival and departure of flights People using the room can see as clearly dearly as can be expected expected expected ex ex- ex- ex in a smoking smoking room room everything ng in the area The walls which kept their smoke in away from the dominate smoking non-smoking public were made of glass Perhaps glass in case some lone smoker was in there here having a heart attack There was an adequate number of pla places to extinguish extinguish extinguish ex- ex cigarettes and a line of eight telephones on the wall inside the area for smokers use only My idea f solution of the door problem Do not fight with the smokers who are complying complying complying comply comply- ing with the law causing further social unrest but to have an area near the buildings away f from om the doors designated for smokers I would not build special rooms however the more unpleasant unpleasant unpleasant un un- pleasant the conditions perhaps people would cut down on smoking I suggest placing signs on the doors requesting smokers to back off a certain distance to do their puffing Lorraine Thurber Del Amor communication |