The previous two letters to the editor in the Minnesota Daily, “A call for a smoke free campus” and “Following the smoke free lead,” aptly showcase the need for a smoke-free campus. We all know smoking is injurious to health; not just the health of the smoker but also the health of the people who are exposed to secondhand smoke. Moreover, smoking around campus makes it inconvenient for people to walk down the green without inhaling a lungful of cigarette smoke. A smoking ban on campus can allow people on campus to breathe cleaner air and to be able to freely walk around campus without worrying about being exposed to carcinogenic toxins due to secondhand smoke.

We all know that smoking is banned on the light rail; when the light rail will start functioning and will run through the University of Minnesota, a large number of people might use our campus to smoke. A smoking ban will help prevent our campus being a platform for smoking. A smoking ban might not be in the best interest of the smokers, but it will aim for a cleaner and safer atmosphere at the University. It’s true that it’s hard to quit at the drop of the hat, but a smoking ban might help some people quit when they won’t have easy access to areas to smoke. This is all a tip of the iceberg; the list is endless. If we tread slowly and come together to advocate the smoking ban at the University, we can be an ever shining and inspiring campus setting a bright path for other campuses to follow.