Either way, Boston University has a smoking problem. Crowds of smokers hang outside the George Sherman Union, Warren Towers and many other buildings to light up. Sometimes students don’t even wait until they are outside. I once saw a kid start lighting his cigarette before he was out the door of 100 Bay State Road.
I’m surprised BU hasn’t done more to restrict smokers on campus. Sure, they aren’t allowed to smoke inside residences or buildings, but it seems that outside, they can smoke wherever their hearts desire (although they aren’t doing their hearts any favors).
We all know smoking is bad for us. In case you needed a refresher, the American Lung Association reported that about 8.6 million Americans have at least one serious illness caused by smoking. It is the most important source of preventable disease, illness and premature death worldwide. So why you would even want to inhale chemicals into your lungs with all these risks is beyond me.
However, it’s not just the smokers who are suffering. Each year, approximately 3,400 lung cancer deaths and 46,000 heart disease deaths occur from secondhand smoke involuntarily inhaled by nonsmokers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that even brief exposure could be harmful to health. Especially if it’s happening every time you walk down Commonwealth Avenue.