Smoking ban borders on ludicrous

These days, seems like everyone around here really wants to be healthy. No one wants to smoke anymore or be around it. Well, that's what the word on the street is. Whoever spoke this word apparently never visited Bloomington, which must have the highest percentage of smokers per capita in the country. \nI don't smoke. Never have, and while I can't really foresee lighting one up in the future, I won't say I never will, cause if I did then you know I would be seen this weekend with a cigarette hanging from my mouth. My mom smokes, and growing up around that was enough reason for me to steer clear of smokes. Its not to say that I have a problem with it. I've gotten over it by now, cause I've spent so many years around friends who smoke. Plus, if you spend any time at the bars, you learn to get over any problem with cigarettes really quickly.\nThe reason I bring this up is because an article that ran in this very newspaper early this week caught my eye. According to this article, last Thursday IUSA proposed a resolution for a non-smoking zone of 30 feet around all academic buildings on campus to be put into place. Their reasoning is that for non-smokers, they shouldn't have to maneuver through the haze to make it into Ballantine Hall or other buildings. So perhaps their hearts were in the right place. Their minds were not, however.\nA 30-foot zone around every academic building would be just a bit ridiculous in terms of smokers rights. Think about it. If they wanted to catch a smoke as they walk between classes, they might have to take quite a circuitous route in order to observe this space. As well as stand out in the rain or snow during the bad weather, having no cover to keep them dry. \nSmokers are already not allowed to smoke in many a restaurant. There is even debate about whether smoking should be allowed in dorm rooms on college campuses. Then this resolution comes along. Now, if you were a smoker, wouldn't you be getting a little paranoid right about now? I can see the new laws that might be put into place in this country if the trend continues. Smokers only allowed to walk on sidewalks on one side of the street. Smokers only allowed to drive in the right lane on highways. Smokers only allowed to live in Wyoming, or some other state that no one would really be upset about handing over to the smokers (exactly how many people live in Wyoming anyway? I know that state has to do something, but I'm not sure what).\nI know some non-smokers don't like dealing with smoke due to fear of second hand smoke, dislike of the smell, or other various reasons. So it is important to look out for their wants and rights. Yet at the same time, smokers have rights too. If they want to smoke, let them smoke, and don't make them walk out 30 feet to do it. Maybe work out a plan where smokers get one door to smoke at and a second door to the building is smoke free for those students who don't want to walk through the smoke to get into the building. Either way, there has to be a better option than this plan. Otherwise smokers eventually will have to go out to the Memorial Stadium Parking lot to get their fix.