5_NgoL

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

To whom it may concern:

For years now, students at Cal Poly Pomona have been trying to fight against public smoking on campus. Not only do smokers harm students who don’t smoke-they harm our strive for a healthy school environment. They especially cause second hand smoking, they effect people who suffer Asthma, and all women in general. The smoker inhales only 15% of a cigarette smoke and the remaining 85% lingers in the air for everyone else to breathe. If a person spends more than two hours with a smoker, the nonsmoker inhales the equivalent of four cigarettes. People who suffer asthma can only reduce their difficulty in breathing by keeping away from smokers and second hand smoking. Women who smoke or are exposed to second hand smoke will have a higher rate of miscarriages and stillbirths.

Although Cal Poly Pomona has a policy that prohibits smoking inside and twenty-five feet from all University facilities, students seem to evade this policy all the time. When you walk outside of the University library/Starbucks area, there’s always a group of people relaxing, enjoying their cigarette, while other students have to walk by or sit somewhere else to avoid inhaling the air. The policy also states that the areas where smoking is not prohibited by this policy are the center of the Science/Engineering Quad, open area north of Building 1, grass area near the Rose Garden, grass area southeast of Building 7 near Camphor Lane, patio area northwest of Building 43, Center of the University Union Park, grass area southeast of Building 17, and southwest of Building 48 across Citrus Lane.

Now ask yourself if this policy makes any sense to you. Why are we going to accept a policy that does no significant good to the majority? Why would we prohibit students from smoking only twenty-five feet from a building? So every time we walk in between classes, it’s completely okay for the person right next to you, in front of you or behind you, to smoke a cigarette and having you as a nonsmoker have that fresh air taken away and healthy lungs decay. And to have so many excluding areas from the policy is absurd. Is the policy assuming that the people in that surrounding area are all smokers and it’s okay to smoke freely there?

Some students might not have a problem with public smoking and I am definitely not proposing that smokers are crummy people. I have witnessed many students complain but it only takes one to make a difference. Personally, why should my health suffer from other’s inconsiderate decision to smoke around other people? I believe that Cal Poly Pomona should totally exclude smoking on campus or form a specific area on campus that is especially for smoking only. It would be just like any restaurant around town-an area for dining and an area for smoking that’s completely separate. Smoking should be the last thing a student has to worry about. As a concerned student who experienced this situation first hand, I really encourage everyone who is involved to e-mail CPP’s President, J. Michael Ortiz, a straightforward and respectful message about this Policy change. With the massive amount of concerns, our voices will be heard and our rights will be met. “Liberty refers to the ability to do as people please, provided what they please does not harm other’s liberty.” (Instructor Kenneth White).

Best regards,

Linh Ngo (909) 972-5179

Pre-Optometry Club Vice President

Delta Sigma Pi Vice President Scholarships & Awards

#24: I think you did a really good job at persuading. You first provided your case by stating facts about smoking so that readers could get a visual and see some of the effects from second hand smoke. These facts really helped prove your case and I believe that people reading your paper would really be persuaded to write to Mr. Ortiz. You followed everything and it paid off.