I am writing today to discuss my feelings about smoking on the Thompson Rivers University campus.

As a student who has dealt with respiratory problems for most of my life and who has a severe sensitivity to cigarette and cigar smoke, I have a really hard time with the amount of second-hand smoke I encounter when entering and leaving most buildings on campus.

There are some lovely places to sit outside on days that the weather allows it, however many of these places double as popular smoking areas. The research on the negative effects of second-hand smoke is endless and it seems ridiculous to me that nothing has been done to combat this issue thus far.

I am not saying banning smoking on campus is the only option, or that it is even viable, however there are steps that can be taken to reduce the amount of harmful chemicals non-smokers breath in on a daily basis.

Moving reserved smoking areas to less congested areas and spaces where students are not constantly travelling between classes could make the outdoor areas of campus much more enjoyable for non-smoking students.

I think British Columbia is heading in the right direction by proposing a smoke-free initiative, and feel that with a little effort TRU could preempt this and improve the health of non-smoking students on campus.

ADRIENNE BEACOM

Kamloops