í DPINION
May 28, 2003 * The Clackamas Print • 3
ClikamasP F Í H t
Students have the legal right
to smoke outdoors on campus
Editor-in-Chief/
Copy Editor
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Cyndee Mady
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Robb Egan
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Cory Price
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exf. 2578
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Non-smokers have the right to
breathe clean air on campus
There's a hazy problem here at
Clackamas Community College.
Cigarette smokers are making it diffi
cult to walk around our beautiful cam
pus without being exposed to carcino
genic second-hand smoke.
Bekah Finch being said, when something is legal,
“Fundamentally, people just don't want the guy next to them smoking,” said
Staff Writer
certain rights apply. Smokers have
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Bloomberg has been involved in many different efforts that restrict and, in
—————it js understandable that smoking
some parts of New York City, forbid smoking all together. Why can't the
should be prohibited indoors. There are many non-smokers who don’t deserve
administration at Clackamas prohibit or confine the belligerent use of cigarettes
to be subjected to smoke, and modem medicine tells us that second-hand
on campus?
smoke is just as dangerous as first-hand. I doubt there are many smokers who
Certain smokers, including faculty, huddle around entries and exits while
will argue about smoking inside.
smoking. People walk in and out of these doors con
So if smoking is legal, and it's not allowed indoors in many places, where
stantly. Non-smokers are forced to put their lungs at risk
does this leave a smoker to smoke? Obviously, outdoors. There is nowhere
of inhaling poisonous smoke.
else to go. I am sure that if there was a magical forest only for smoking, smok
Every landscape around Clackamas is littered with
ers would have no problem leaving the
cigarette leftovers. The school has done an excellent job
non-smokers and going there to enjoy
making our campus landscape beautiful. Smokers have
their nicotine. But there is no such forest,
done a good job leaving the rest of their fix behind. Is it
and when smokers attend schools, name
that hard to find an ashtray? Has the nicotine made you
ly, Clackamas Community College, they
that sluggish?
need a place to smoke.
Oblivious to the people around them, smokers will
Where can they go but outside the build
light up any time or place they want. Non-smokers have
ings? There is only 10 minutes between
the right to breathe clean air. There are already enough
classes, so they can't run to some parking
fresh air tribulations in the world stemming from pollu
lot where non-smokers never venture. Let's
tion. ■
be realistic here. If a person on this campus
According to the American Lung Association, second
is addicted to nicotine and they need a cig
hand smoke contains 4,000 chemicals. Forty-three are
arette, and they have 10 minutes to get
known to cause cancer and 200 are known poisons.
from class on one side of the campus to
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) esti
another, they are going to light up as quick
mates that 3,000 people a year die from lung cancer asso
as possible, at the closest exit possible. Or
ciated with second-hand smoke. They also report that an
I
say they have class in the same building all
additional 35,000 people a year develop heart diseas
day—do non-smokers really expect smok
SADIE M c C arthy Clackamas Print from second-hand smoke.
ers to wander far away from where they
Over 7,500 kids are hospitalized each year due to
need to be? Not going to happen. Plus, liv
respiratory problems connected with second-hand smoke, according to the
ing in a state where it rains nine months out
EPA. Large numbers of high school aged kids attend Clackamas. There is no
of twelve, smokers don't want to get
way to tell if the smokers on campus are in fact 18. These underage students
drenched as they have a cigarette.
continue to light up around campus with no consequences.
“So why can't they all quit?” someone may ask. Now there's a solution,
Rules or restrictions on smoking must be put in place now and must be fol
but there's one minor problem: smoking is an addiction. Every smoker in the
lowed by everyone here at Clackamas. No smoking signs haven't helped.
world knows how bad it is and what it does and so on and so forth, but when
Enforcement is needed.
you have been smoking for five plus years, it is hard to just quit. Usually it
Shouldn't students be addicted to their studies and not their sticks?
takes money, time and possibly even therapy to kick the habit.
Take your awful habit away from people who choose not to infect themselves.
It is unfortunate that non-smokers sometimes get a whiff of smoke as they
Leant self-control. If you want to smoke, go home. Get a beer and sit on the
walk by a certain place on campus, but they should consider th.emselves lucky
stoop. That's where you, your cigarettes and your behavior belong.
that the law forbids the same smoker from lighting up in their classroom.
Until the day that the U.S. outlaws smoking or Clackamas enforces harsh
er smoking rules, non-smokers should just hold their breath, thank their lucky
stars they are not addicted and keep on walking.
a
Tina Tate
Linda Vogt
Smokers vs. Non-smokers
Smoking tobacco products is legal
in the United States of America. This
Nicotine demon strikes out once again
j| Cyndee Mady
HL
Opinion Editor
—
The decision to quit smoking does
not come lightly. Once the decision is
made, it is easier said than done.
Often criticized by the non-smoking
public, well-intentioned smokers some
times reply, “I'm going to quit soon,”
but soon never comes.
I know; I've been there. I tried gim
micks like attending a hypnotherapy
seminar expecting to walk away
instantly cured from the evil nicotine
demon, and left with nothing more than
a feather-light wallet and a gigantic
craving for the object of my addiction.
Year after year, “Quit smoking”
made its way to my New Year's
Resolutions list. Did I really want to
quit? Not really, but I knew the future
of my health depended upon it, future
being the operative word.
Though I thoroughly enjoyed my
habitual puffs, especially while social
izing on a bar stool with a cocktail in
tow—enough was enough. I began to
take gradual measures to end my
dependence before it ended me.
This method may not work for
everyone, but having just celebrated my
one year smoke-free anniversary in
February, I'd like to share my experi
ence with those individuals who may
be pondering the idea of a healthier way
of living.
The first step is to eliminate one rit
ual where you would normally take
pleasure in smoking. If you enjoy a
morning cigarette with your coffee, like
Pavlov's law, every time you have cof
fee a cigarette will accompany. For
many, this may not be the best elimina
tion element to begin with. The choice
is unique to the individual.
Quitting smoking in the car was my
first abolition. I never liked the way it
made my car smell anyway.; Nor did I
feel comfortable hanging my cigarette
out the window just to avoid having the
smoke retract into my own face, yet
subjecting nearby motorists to the draw
of my pollution. In other words, this
was my easiest smoking ritual to elimi
nate.
You may not be able to do this first
step cold turkey. If the cravings
become unbearable (like it might on a
long road trip) it is okay to falter occa
sionally, but quickly return to the
straight and narrow. The point is you
are taking gradual steps toward your
ultimate goal. It helps if you clean the
inside of your car and ashtray thor
oughly with some kind of lemony fresh,
wipe that will hinder your desire to
eradicate that unsoiled scent. Soon,
you will have extinguished your first
habitual rendezvous, thus reducing
Bargain flip-flops flap into summer wardrobes
The weather has finally warmed
up, and that can only mean one thing:
it's time to start wearing flip-flops
again!
I have definitely noticed a sudden
emergence of these fun, flappy sandals
on campus. There are a few important
points that must be explored before
this behavior continues. •
First, let's cover etiquette. What do
we call these fine pieces of foot appa
ratus? Flip-flops, thongs, sandals—
what is their proper name?
The downside to referring to them
as thongs is immediately obvious.
Referring to a piece of footwear as a
thong, without clarifying the context
beforehand, can result in confusing
and embarrassing situations. Calling
them sandals doesn't seem to give
them the unique respect that is owed
them.
The word flip-flops, however, is
fun to say, difficult to confuse and
immediately lets your listener know
exactly what you are talking about. So
that solves that.
The most important thing to be up
on in the flip-flop world is where to get
them. Flip-flops can be found in malls
and big-name stores for ridiculously
exorbitant prices. Do not fall for the
brand-name ploys and the rhinestone-
studded antics of department stores.
Soon, flip-flops will be appearing in
grocery stores and one-stop shopping
centers for between $1 and $5; I rec
ommend buying within this price
range, since flip-flops are not known
for their durability. Hit your local
Safeway, Target or Kmart and you'll
find comfortable, attractive flip-flops
for a minimal price. Even some popu
lar stores like Old Navy sell flip-flops
for $2.50.
There are some more expensive,
but still reasonably priced (between $7
and $12) models at stores like Payless
if you're looking for something with a
little more substance. They have flip
flops made of everything from wood
to beaded ultra-suede. There is no need
to resort to spending $30 on Tommy
Hilfiger's latest release.
If you want to get a pair of flip
flops that have a little personality and
originality, check out thrift stores and
garage sales for the best deals and the
most unique finds. I recently picked up
a pair of flip-flops at Saturday Market
for $5, another excellent place to shop
for clothing items of all kinds.
I highly recommend flip-flops as a
staple for everyone's wardrobe. Be
careful, I have received blisters and
other types of injuries from wearing
the wrong pair of flip-flops. Make sure
you get a pair that is very comfortable.
The best ones are the kind with soft,
flexible straps made of nylon or bend
able plastic.
Use this information well, my
friends! And don't try to wear socks
with your flip-flops.
your daily intake.
Continue to work through your list,
purging one habit at a time until you are
down to the last few and most difficult
obstacles. Having been more of a
social smoker, I was able to eliminate
all smoking circumstances except at
school and in my favorite drinking
haunt.
The next step is to wait until you are
at a low stress level. I know what
you're thinking.. .college, homework,
job, family—the day will never come!
What I'm saying is if you've just broken
up with your significant other, lost a
loved one or are cramming for finals it
may not be the best time to “set the
date,” which brings me to my final
point.
Remember in the beginning when I
said soon never comes? This is true,,
because “soon” is not a definitive goal.
You must get out the calendar and des
ignate a date. When the day comes,
you may want to use other aides such as
a nicotine patch, which helped me
immensely, but be sure to consult a
physician to assess your personal
needs.
The important thing to remember is
that once your quitting day arrives, like
the days on the calendar that have
passed, there is no looking back. This
step is cold turkey. You must visualize
the forward progression of a smoke-
free existence, because this will be the
first day of the rest of your “LIFE.”
Drop by Bl04 in the fall with
your success story and share your tri
umph in The Clackamas Print. Best
of luck on your mission to become a
non-smoker.