I am writing today as a non-smoker who is interested in a smoke-free campus. Recently I did some research on this topic and found results that were surprisingly positive. While going smoke free may be a bit much for people to handle, I think that we could do something about this issue that is less drastic.

First, enforcement of the 30-foot rule at entranceways would be a big improvement since most smokers don’t adhere to it and receive no negative reaction from the public, giving the impression that such acts are okay. Another idea is designating certain entrance ways as smoke-free so that people who don’t smoke or have a condition such as asthma can pass and not worry.

I recently acquired the results from the NMU President’s Office Smoking survey and found that the numbers were not as “50/50” as many thought. This makes me think that the idea of smoke-free isn’t as absurd as some believe. Another discovery that concerns me is this “Third- Hand smoke” which is caused by the chemicals in tobacco products that linger in the air and on clothes. This means that smokers walking down the sidewalk are leaving behind dangerous chemicals for all to breath for hours.

I think the idea of a smoke-free campus should be revisited or at least brought back for discussion to the students and staff of Northern. I enjoy clean air, and I think that there are a lot of people who would agree with me on that.

Will Getts
Ishpeming, Mich.