The new smoking ban is turning into an extreme.

I think it’s silly students and staff aren’t able to smoke cigarettes on campus. If previous rules were enforced, we wouldn’t be where we are today.

As students and patrons of this university, we do what we are told by our administration. If our superior tells us to smoke at least 30 feet from any building then we will. But, if our superiors don’t make these rules known, how are we supposed to follow them?

If we aren’t allowed to smoke right in front of any building, then why put ashtrays where we can’t smoke?

If we aren’t able to smoke everywhere on campus, then why can’t we have a smoking post, or an area where smokers can follow the rules, while also enjoying themselves on campus. Maybe even a few posts for people to stand around and then have a receptacle to discard the cigarette butts. I understand why the smoking ban is in place, for a few reasons.

First, the cigarette butts make our school look extremely unattractive. Littering is bad by itself, but the extra cigarette butts just look dirty.

I can also see how this can help other students on campus maintain a healthier lifestyle. If they are struggling to quit, then not allowing smoking on campus can help them decrease the daily cigarettes.

What about the students who don’t want to quit? The ones who enjoy a nice coffee or a chat with a friend while sharing a cigarette are now the ones “suffering.” This ban isn’t fair to everyone, and the previous rules should have been enforced.

We would be better able to follow the rules in place, if our superiors clearly defined our boundaries, but making the rules harsher because we aren’t aware of a previous rule is ridiculous and unfair.