_
      The
      Panther
      Prints
     
    
   
   
    
     
      7
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Lethors
      to
      trea
      Baitoanr
     
    
   
   
    
     
      UPEI'S
      Smoking
      Policy
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      whole
      hardly
      [sic]
      agree
      with
     
     
      Ms.
      Gallant's
      perspective
      on
      the
      TO-
     
     
      TALLY
      UNFAIR
      SMOKING
      POLICY
     
     
      presently
      being
      administered
      by
      the
     
     
      governing
      body
      of
      our
      university.
      It
     
     
      seems
      in
      their
      infinite
      wisdom
      that
      this
     
     
      policy
      will
      somehow
      decrease
      or
      ulti-
     
     
      mately
      eliminate
      smoking
      on
      or
      about
     
     
      the
      UPEI
      campus.
      I
      finnd
      this
      type
      of
     
     
      Gestapo
      tactic
      unwarranted
      and
      unbe-
     
     
      coming
      of
      the
      university
      and
      its
      mem-
     
     
      bers.
     
    

    
     
      Yes,
      it
      is
      true
      that
      people
      still
      do
     
     
      participate
      in
      the
      ungodly
      habit
      of
     
     
      smoking.
      Yes,
      to
      some
      individuals,
      they
     
     
      find
      the
      habit
      both
      intrusive
      and
      in
      bad
     
     
      taste.
      Yes,
      some
      individuals
      feel
      that
      the
     
     
      product
      should
      be
      banned
      and
      abolished,
     
     
      and
      all
      those
      that
      do
      smoke
      should
      be
     
     
      placed
      in
      some
      type
      of
      concentration
     
     
      camp
      or
      other
      such
      suitable
      environ-
     
    

    
     
      :
      ment.
      Yes,
      we
      all
      know
      that
      smoking
     
     
      can
      lead
      to
      lung
      cancer,
      emphysema
      and
     
     
      other
      such
      fatal
      diseases
      .
      One
      can't
      but
     
     
      help
      from
      knowing
      the
      consequences
     
     
      from
      viewing
      the
      anti-smoking
      adver-
     
     
      tisements
      found
      on
      television,
      the
      Heart
     
     
      and
      Lung
      Association’s
      massive
      anti-
     
     
      smoking
      literature
      and
      found
      upon
      our
     
     
      own
      cigarette
      packages.
      This
      is
      not
     
     
      considering
      all
      the
      other
      sources
      of
     
     
      media
      that
      are
      there
      to
      inform
      the
      public
     
     
      at
      large
      of
      this
      heinous,
      so
      called,
      crime
     
     
      against
      society.
      We
      as
      adults
      have
      the
     
     
      right
      to
      choose
      whether
      to
      smoke
      or
      not
     
     
      to
      smoke,
      and
      not
      to
      be
      dictated
      to
      in
     
     
      regards
      to
      this
      decision.
     
    

    
     
      To
      the
      dismay
      and
      disbeleif
      of
      a
     
     
      great
      number
      of
      individuals
      within
     
     
      society.
      Smoking
      and
      the
      sale
      and
     
     
      consumption
      of
      tobacco
      and
      other
     
     
      similar
      products
      are
      legal
      within
      this
     
     
      country
      and
      province
      of
      ours
      .
      As
      you
     
     
      are
      probably
      aware
      of,
      and
      if
      your
      [sic]
     
     
      not,
      both
      the
      Federal
      and
      Provincial
     
     
      Governments
      make
      enormous
      amounts
     
     
      of
      tax
      revenue
      from
      the
      sale
      and
      con-
     
     
      sumption
      of
      these
      so
      called
      heinous
     
     
      killers.
      Think
      about
      it
      for
      a
      second,
      if
     
     
      for
      example
      everyone
      in
      the
      county
     
     
      stopped
      smoking
      today.
      Where
      would
     
     
      the
      governments
      find
      the
      money
      to
     
     
      replace
      the
      added
      tax
      revenue
      lost
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ucts?
      You
      guessed
      it,
      HIGHER
      PER-
     
     
      SONAL
      TAXES,
      or
      some
      other
      source
     
     
      of
      tax
      revenue
      would
      be
      thought
      up
      to
     
     
      replace
      this
      lost
      revenue.
      One
      would
     
     
      just
      have
      to
      examine
      the
      past
      and
     
     
      present
      Federal
      and
      Provincial
      budgets
     
     
      to
      see
      how
      Tobacco
      products
      and
     
     
      alcohol
      aretaxed.
      This
      added
      taxation
      is
     
     
      often
      referred
      to
      by
      the
      politicians,
      as
     
     
      the
      "SIN
      TAX".
      The
      user
      pays
      the
      extra
     
     
      cost
      for
      the
      benefit
      of
      indulging
      in
      this
     
     
      product.
      If
      one
      doesn't
      wish
      to
      pay
      the
     
     
      extra
      taxes,
      don't
      purchase
      the
      product.
     
     
      Ultimately,
      the
      consumer
      makes
      a
     
     
      conscious
      choice.
      No
      one
      forces,
      to
      my
     
     
      knowledge,
      him
      or
      her
      to
      purchase
      and
     
     
      consume
      this
      legal
      product.
      Many
     
     
      arguments
      can
      be
      put
      forth
      about
      peer
     
     
      pressure
      and
      other
      forms
      of
      conformity;
     
     
      but,
      the
      ultimate
      choice
      still
      lies
      with
      the
     
     
      consumer,
      no
      matter
      which
      label
      or
     
     
      outside
      factor
      is
      added
      to
      the
      equation.
     
    

    
     
      As
      acitizen
      of
      our
      country.
      I
      have
     
     
      the
      right
      to
      indulge
      in
      any
      legal
      activity
     
     
      whether
      it
      is
      socially
      acceptable
      or
      not.
     
     
      As
      not
      paying
      my
      fair
      share
      of
      taxes
      to
     
     
      the
      government;
      well,
      I
      probably
      pay
     
     
      more
      than
      my
      share
      and
      those
      of
      my
     
     
      opponents
      when
      it
      comes
      to
      this
      issue.
      I
     
     
      am
      very
      sorry
      that
      some
      individuals
      find
     
     
      this
      addictive
      habit
      to
      be
      in
      bad
      taste
      and
     
     
      unpleasant
      in
      nature.
      But,
      I
      enioy
      my
     
     
      cigarettes
      and
      will
      defend
      my
      rlght
      to
     
     
      indulge
      in
      this
      legal
      activity.
      The
      same
     
     
      as
      I
      would
      defend
      someone
      else’s
      right
     
     
      to
      indulge
      in
      their
      legal
      activity.
     
    

    
     
      As
      to
      the
      campus
      policy
      of
      “No
     
     
      Smoking”
      within
      the
      university
      build-
     
     
      ings,
      I
      have
      only
      one
      question
      to
      ask.
      If
     
     
      we
      the
      students
      who
      do
      smoke
      have
      to
     
     
      indulge
      our
      habit
      outside
      in
      all
      weather
     
     
      conditions,
      then
      why
      does
      the
      University
     
     
      allow
      its
      faculty
      to
      indulge
      in
      their
      habit
     
     
      within
      the
      offices
      of
      such
      buildings?
     
     
      One
      just
      has
      to
      walk
      through
      some
      of
     
     
      the
      buildings
      on
      campus
      to
      see
      this
     
     
      unfair
      and
      prejudicial
      practice.
      It
      could
     
     
      be
      said
      "If
      it’s
      good
      enough
      for
      the
     
     
      goose,
      it’s
      good
      enough
      for
      the
      gander."
     
     
      So,
      if
      we
      the
      students
      have
      to
      suffer
      with
     
     
      our
      habit
      outside
      the
      buildings
      on
     
     
      campus,
      so
      too
      should
      the
      faculty
      and
     
     
      staff
      that
      smoke
      suffer
      along
      side
      of
      us
      .
     
    
   
   
    
     
      more
      item
      before
      I
      close.
      This
      has
      to
      do
     
     
      with
      the
      Student
      Union
      Pit
      within
      the
     
     
      conf
      ines
      of
      the
      Robinson
      Library.
      A
     
     
      simple
      solution
      could
      be
      invoked
      to
     
     
      eliminate
      the
      problem
      of
      smoking
      within
     
     
      the
      Pit
      and
      other
      areas
      on
      campus.
      The
     
     
      Student
      Union,
      from
      my
      understanding
     
     
      agreed
      that
      the
      Pit
      should
      become
      a
      no
     
     
      smoking
      area.
      This
      I
      was
      informed,
      was
     
     
      in
      the
      attempt
      to
      enhance
      and
      bring
     
     
      students
      back
      to
      the
      Student
      Union
     
     
      building
      on
      campus.
      This
      statement
     
     
      could
      be
      wrong,
      and
      if
      so,
      I
      stand
     
     
      corrected.
      This
      was
      a
      gallant
      idea,
      but
      it
     
     
      is
      just
      too
      far
      to
      go
      between
      classes
      to
     
     
      have
      a
      cigarette
      and
      what
      would
      happen
     
     
      if
      all
      the
      smokers
      went
      to
      the
      Student
     
     
      Union
      Building
      to
      smoke?
      Would
      the
     
     
      non-smoking
      students
      then
      complain
      that
     
     
      it
      too
      was
      too
      smoky
      and
      that
      it
      too
     
     
      should
      be
      off
      limits
      to
      smokers?
      Your
     
     
      guess
      is
      as
      good
      as
      mine.
      It
      gives
      a
     
     
      reasonable
      person
      something
      to
      think
     
     
      about
      doesn't
      it!
      The
      simplest
      solution
      in
     
     
      my
      opinion
      and
      those
      that
      I
      have
      dis-
     
     
      cussed
      this
      problem
      with,
      as
      it
      relates
      to
     
     
      smoking
      on
      campus
      is,
      to
      divide
      the
      Pit
     
     
      into
      two
      equal
      parts
      with
      a
      plexiglass
     
     
      partition
      down
      the
      middle,
      in
      the
      same
     
     
      mannerism
      that
      certain
      other
      business
     
     
      establishments
      have
      done
      to
      accomodate
     
     
      that
      segment
      of
      society
      that
      do
      enjoy
      and
     
     
      indulge
      in
      tobacco
      products.
      I
      and
     
     
      others,
      whether
      you
      like
      it
      or
      not,
      have
     
     
      the
      right
      to
      smoke
      and
      will
      continue
      to
     
     
      smoke
      until
      we
      alone
      decide
      to
      give
      the
     
     
      product
      up.
      I
      try
      not
      to
      infringe
      on
      your
     
     
      rights
      as
      a
      non-smoker.
      So,
      in
      fairness
     
     
      and
      respect
      of
      our
      rights,
      don't
      infringe
     
     
      on
      our
      rights
      as
      smokers.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      --
      Herb
      Mahar,
      4th
      year
      Arts
     
    
   
   
    
     
      HELPING
      THE
      WORLD
     
     
      WRITE
      NOW
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      CODE
     
     
      Self-sufficiency
      through
     
     
      literacy
      in
      the
      developing
      world
     
     
      For
      information,
      call
      +800-661-2633
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Panther
      Prints
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Wants
      YOU
     
    
   
   
    
     
      And
      the
     
     
      Smoking
     
     
      Debate
     
     
      Continues
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      am
      writing
      in
      response
      to
      Alice
     
     
      Gallant's
      article
      entitled
      "A
      Smoker's
     
     
      View",
      printed
      in
      the
      March
      5,
      1996
     
     
      edition
      of
      the
      Panther
      Prints.
      In
      your
     
     
      article,
      you
      expressed
      bitterness
      at
      not
     
     
      being
      able
      to
      continue
      your
      habit
      inside
     
     
      at
      UPEI.
      You
      state
      that
      you
      were
      not
     
     
      given
      the
      chance
      to
      decide
      whether
      you
     
     
      wanted
      to
      attend
      UPEI
      based
      on
      the
     
     
      enforcement
      of
      the
      smoking
      policy
     
     
      which
      was
      already
      in
      place.
      I
      would
     
     
      consider
      it
      a
      privilege,
      not
      a
      right
      for
     
     
      you
      to
      smoke
      in
      the
      buildings
      of
      UPEI
     
     
      (which
      was
      against
      UPEI
      regulations
     
     
      from
      the
      beginning
      of
      the
      term)
      without
     
     
      at
      least
      being
      made
      aware
      of
      the
      regula-
     
     
      tions.
      The
      fact
      that
      you
      would
      allow
     
     
      your
      addiction
      to
      dictate
      which
      educa-
     
     
      tional
      institution
      you
      choose
      suggests
     
     
      that
      smoking
      is
      quite
      important
      to
      you.
     
     
      However,
      complaining
      that
      enforcement
     
     
      of
      the
      regulations
      was
      increased
      without
     
     
      notice
      being
      given
      to
      you,
      does
      not
     
     
      change
      the
      fact
      that
      the
      policy
      was
      in
     
     
      place
      at
      the
      beginning
      of
      the
      semester.
     
    

    
     
      A
      policy
      is
      a
      policy,
      no
      matter
      how
     
     
      much
      enforcement
      (or
      lack
      there
      of)
      is
     
     
      exercised.
      Whether
      you
      adhere
      to
      it
      or
     
     
      not
      is
      left
      up
      to
      you,
      and
      it
      appears
      that
     
     
      you
      chose
      to
      ignore
      it
      until
      the
      threat
      of
     
     
      a
      fine
      was
      present.
     
    

    
     
      As
      anon-smoker,
      I
      found
      it
      quite
     
     
      irritating
      to
      have
      to
      breathe
      the
      smoke
      of
     
     
      the
      people
      huddled
      in
      the
      entryways
      of
     
     
      Main
      building
      every
      time
      I
      went
      to
      class.
     
     
      I
      have
      heard
      (although
      I
      cannot
      say
      from
     
     
      personal
      experience)
      that
      smoking
      is
      an
     
     
      addiction
      which
      is
      hard
      to
      overcome,
      but
     
     
      so
      is
      alcoholism,
      and
      addictions
      to
      elicit
     
     
      drugs.
      UPEI
      is
      not
      obliged
      to
      cater
      to
     
     
      any
      of
      those
      addictions.
      Your
      complaint
     
     
      about
      not
      being
      given
      a
      place
      to
      go
      is
     
     
      questionable
      because
      the
      Barn
      is
      not
      a
     
     
      smoke
      free
      environment
      and
      it
      is
      open
     
     
      all
      day.
      Yes,
      the
      Barn
      is
      located
      at
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ’
      far
      end
      of
      the
      campus,
      but
      I
      don't
      think
      it
     
    
   
   
    
     
      through
      the
      legal
      sale
      of
      tobacco
      prod-
      I
      would
      just
      like
      to
      bring
      forth
      one
      c
      hod
      [a
      j
      e5