Man, my lungs hurt.
I meant to deliver this big rant about the change in the college’s smoking policy, but I don’t know if I can. I had to walk up three flights of stairs to get to my room, and now my lungs hurt. I had planned on screaming and shouting about how messed up it is that I can’t smoke in my dorm anymore. But, to be honest, I don’t really feel like it. I think I’m just going to catch my breath for a second.
Be right with you…
Okay, sorry about that. Last year, the policy for smoking in resident halls stated any student could smoke cigarettes in any room on campus, apart from Substance Free halls. This year, you can’t. Bryan Hall, the apartments, and the houses are the only places you get this privilege.
Last year I smoked so damn much. By spring semester, my addiction reached the point where I was literally smoking a cigarette every 15 minutes. That was the longest I could go, aside from when I was in class. I was often rolling myself a new cigarette while still smoking the old one.
I guess that’s why my lungs hurt right now.
When news of the change in the smoking policy first reached me, my gut instinct was outrage. You’ll find that most smokers will react that way. We tend to be very protective of our addiction. And when I sat down to write this column, I intended to express that outrage clearly so that everyone knew just how outraged I was. Like I said, I don’t really feel like it.
The truth is, I’m happy I can’t smoke in my room. Every smoker thinks to himself or herself multiple times a day, “I should really quit doing this.” However, when you have the opportunity sitting in the room with you, it is impossible to turn it away. Impossible.
So now, rather than relying on my own pathetic attempts to cut down, I’m forced to. The new policy says so.
Now the pain in my lungs is only an occasional thing, rather than the constant dull aches I got so used to last year.
Categories:
A smokin’ policy
Asa Fager
•
September 4, 2003
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