OPINIONS
March 1,1989
THE PRINT
Page 2
Indoor ban on smoking at Clackamas Community College: Pro-Con
Clackamas smoking ban
Indoor smoking should
be banned at Clackamas would not solve problem
This afternoon, on the day of the Clacka­ one he loved die of lung cancer can find
mas Community College’s Smoking Fo­ nothing but pity for those in favor of smok­
rum, it is important that we examine that ing. It’s not a pleasant situation.
Some smokers will say “I’ve been
smoking issue as a whole.
I think we can all agree that the activity smoking for 10 years; why should I stop
has little health benefits, if any. I think we now?” The answer to that is because they
have been smoking for lOyears.ühe higher
all can agree that
that number of years is, the more of a
there needs to be
reason there is to stop. Smokers can’t out- I
some set policy to
run the risks forever.
consistently follow at
There arc those who say “I know it’s
the college.
Christopher
bad for me, but I don’t care.” If attempted
It would be a step
L. Curran
suicide is a crime, then the slow death of
in the right direction
cigarette smoking should be as well.
abolishing smoking
Why pick on smoking rather than
indoors at Clackamas Community College.
People in favorofsmoking will tellyou that overeating or any of the other possible
it is a smoker’s right to make the decision to things one can do? Simply because there is
smoke. What they blatantly fail to men­ no medical benefit to smoking, whatso­
tion, and what is fact, is when someone ever. Those who make that claim are very
decides to smoke in an i ndoor public place, foolish. When someone at in the refrigera­
they arc also making taa: decision for the tor selecting their meal, how do they know
what is undereating, overeating, or eating
non-smoking population of that area.
That fact alone constitutes a powerful just enough. It is nearly impossible to find
case for those attempting to ban smoking thé right amount of food for one to con­
sume, for everyone’s metabolism is differ­
at Clackamas.
Smokers and non-smokers alike must ent. It is, howver very possible to regulate
travel through the two current smoking smoking indoors on campus.
Let me make one more thing crystal
areas at Clackamas, there’s no avoiding
them regardless of anv aruments. there­ clear. I am not against anyone smoking. I
fore, the above mentioned decision is al­ am against people’s smoke affecting those
ready being made. It is at the least respect­ people who choose not to.
It’s only too bad that tobacco compa­
able that the decision be made in favor of
health, more literally life, rather than privi­ nies are so large and powerful. With all the
red tape and politics involved, smoking
lege.
Smoking is a direct cause of, among may never be banned in this country en­
other things, heart disease, emphysema and tirely. A.t Clackamas however we have the
lung cancer. Anyone who has ever stood chance to eliminate smoking indoors on
next to a hospital bed and watched some­ the campus.
PRO
There was a time when smoking was
acceptable behavior. In light of studies that
show smoking is a leading cause of disease
it has lost favor in the public eye. A plan to
ban smoking on campus is a good example
of the change in attitude toward smoking,
but it fails to address
the fact that smokers
do have rights.
Christopher Cur­
ran’s editorial makes
Jim
a valid point by stat­
Titus
ing that smokers are
deciding the issue for
non-smokers, since it is impossible to pre­
vent so-called “second hand” smoke. But
smokers are not criminals, and they have a
right to engage in their habit regardless of
its hazardous effects on them. Curran lik­
ens smoking to slow suicide, and he feels
that since suicide is illegal smoking should
be too. But there are other habits that
could lead to death. Obesity through over­
eating has been linked to heart disease;
should it be banned too?
Curran would probably respond to the
previous statement by saying that overeat­
ing doesn’t affect those around the eater.
But there are other acts in society that do
affect those not involved. The earth’s ozone
layer is being depleted by a buildup of
chemicals from industrial and automotive
pollution. Depletion of the ozone layer will
eventually lead to crop failure (and resul­
tant famine), increased ocurrence of skin
cancer, and drastic weather changes. Most
of us have no say in this matter, and steps
should be taken to remedy the problem.
CON
But .it is hypocritical to ban smoking be­
cause of its effect on those “without a choice”
when we let other, more dangerous forms
of pollution continue.
The contention that non-smokers don’t
have a choice is grossly mistaken. Most
smokers would understand if they were
asked not to smoke and would act accord­
ingly. And non-smokers can always avoid
designated smoking areas. The real prob­
lem is that smoking areas on campus aren’t
strategically located. Care should be taken
to designate smoking areas that won’t al­
low for “leakage” of smoke into non-smok­
ing areas. It is unfair to tell smokers that
they must smoke outside in the rain and
cold. Smokers may be ruining their bodies
but they don’t have to be treated like crimi­
nals. After all, the bodies they are polluting
are their own. Banning smoking for the
smokers’ own good is just another example
of one group trying to tell another what is
good for them and depriving the latter
group of their free will.
The best answer to the smoking issue is
to create smoking lounges: closed roorns
where smokers may exercise their rights
without infringing the rights of non-smok­
ers. Non-smokers could then choose to
enter thesmoking lounge at their own risk.
The surgeon general’s warning could even
be posted on the door of the lounge.
It is likely that the smoking issue will
be decided in favor of the non-smokers on
campus with a ban on indoor smoking. If
this occurs, it is a sad commentary on a
society that has lost its ability to consider
the rights of all of its citizens.
■..............
Letters to the Editor...
Students at
lecture should
be ashamed
To the Editor,
I went to Dr. Karpov’s lecture last
Monday, excited and ready to listen to what
is going on in Russia, but as the lecture
went on, people in the audience were very
rude. The whispers of conversations in the
background and the interruption of many
people scuffling with their bags and leaving
throughout the lecture were very disrupt­
ing.
Someone as important as Dr. Karpov
should be respected much more than the
kind of respect that happens in the class­
room. If these people didn’t feel this lec­
ture was important, then maybe those people
should only attend things that interest them.
Another disappointment was the
amount of time left for questions. I under­
stand we could have been there all day with
questions, but does only four of them do
justice to the lecture?
I have talked with many students who
went to the lecture and their reactions are
much of the same. I think Clackamas stu­
dents and staff should take a look at how
-
Editorial Policy
they act. We’re hereto learn and grow; not
to take a step back into high school.
Kelly K.
The Print welcomes Letters to the Editor. Such letters must be signed or will not be
printed. Letters must not exceed 250 words and should be typewritten or neatly
printed. Letters can be turned into The Print offices in Trailer B north of Randall
Hall. The Print reserves the right to edit Letters to the Editor for grammar,
obcenities, and libelous and truthful material. Letters to the Editor must be turned
in Friday in order to be printed in the following Wednesday’s edition.
Rick Piller
needs to leave
the country
Editor-In-Chief: Christopher L Curran
Managing/Feature Editor: Carcc Hussey
Copyeditor: Jim Titus
News Editor: Briane C Dotson
Photo Editor: Julie Church
Sports Editor: Mark Borrelli
The Print aims to be a fair and
Reporters: Staci Beard
Tina Early
impartial newspaper covering the
Dan Fulton
college community. Opinions ex­
Tim Jones
pressed in The Print do not neces­
Ray Marcham
sarily reflect those of the college
Luis Perez
administration, faculty, Associated
Roseann Wentworth
Student Government, or other
Angela Wilson
members of The Print staff. Articles
Photographers: Jillian Porter
and information published in this
Tara Powers
newspaper can be reprinted only
Tim Zivncy
with written permission from the
Eric Olson
Student Publications Office. The
Movie Critic: Rick Piller
Print is a weekly publication dis­
Columnists: Joseph Patrick Lee
tributed every Wednesday except for
Tammy Swartzendrubcr
finals week. Clackamas Community
Editorial Cartoonist: BobSwan
College, 19600 S. Molalla Ave.,
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THE
PRINT
To the Editor,
Regarding The Print of Feb. 22:
Is there some way to persuade Rick
Piller to leave the country? I don’t mean
forever. If he were to stay away for, let’s say
50 years, I wouldn’t mind seeing him in
print again. But 30 years wouldn’t be enough.
Yeah, 50 would be nice, dudes.
I really missed Tammy Swartzendruber’s
column this issue, though. Her delightful
descriptions of macaroni and cheese par­
ties under the leaden November skies never
fail to bring a tear to my eye. Hey Tammy:
talk to Rick for me, will you? Get him to see
the light. I’m sure they need writers of his
caliber in... Estonia?
Perry Lensen-Callas
inches
1
39.12
13.24
15.07
2
65.43
18.11
18.72
3
49.87
-4.34
-22.29
4
44.26
-13.80
22.85
5
55.56
9.82
-24.49
6
70.82
-33.43
-0.35
7
63.51
34.26
59.60
8
39.92
11.81
-46.07
9
52.24
48.55
18.51
10
97.06
-0.40
1.13
11(A)
92.02
-0.60
0.23
12
87.34
-0.75
0.21
13
82.14
-1.06
0.43
14
72.06
-1.19
0.28
15
62.15
-1.07
0.19