Smoking is no private affair on The University of Alabama’s campus; a stroll around the Quad or down the Strip is proof enough. A swell of opinions have surfaced, with some for and some against a total smoke-free campus policy.

Instead of completely banning smoking on campus, other measures should be taken to protect the rights of smokers while keeping the lungs of non-smokers pink and free of second-hand smoke.

Although smoking is inevitably harmful to smokers and victims of second-hand smoking alike, a complete ban of smoking on campus interferes with an individual’s right to the pursuit of happiness.

While it may be difficult to find happiness when your body becomes more susceptible to otherwise rare diseases or can no longer fight off the common cold, the euphoric buzz and alleviation of anxiety may be all the happiness one can muster during a stressful day. Currently, 22.1 percent of the adult population in Alabama smokes, which is above the national average. The University simply cannot completely ban a stress-reducer on a college campus (where stress is just as prevalent as Nike Tempo shorts) and not expect a little turbulence.

Instead, measures must be taken to educate and encourage, as well as protect the rights of all persons affiliated with the institution; rumor has it that those are the objectives of education administration, anyway.

To protect the rights of individuals to breathe healthy air if they so choose, the University could develop a fair and balanced policy that benefits as many people as possible. However, providing a policy that is easy to abide by, as well as to regulate, may pose problems that outweigh the benefits.

One such policy may be, in short, to prohibit smoking in heavily populated areas, inside or within proximity of buildings, residential areas, and outdoor eating areas (e.g. the Ferguson Center). UA is said to already have a policy that discourages smoking within 30 feet of buildings, but a walk to and from class on any given day suggests a lack of enforcement. Anyway, this policy eliminates the opportunity to smoke in the majority of areas on campus.

Setting boundaries and providing areas that are properly ventilated, yet convenient and easily accessible, is a more controversial, if not impossible, task of its own. As a non-smoker, I can honestly say that when I walk past a person smoking on my way to class or to work, I have to hold my breath because the smoke makes me sick to my stomach.

I can understand the allure of cigarettes (who doesn’t want a quick fix for stress?), but I’m already addicted to clean air. Though the withdrawal symptoms of clean air greatly surpass those of carcinogen-filled air, I’m still not in favor of the negative effects of second-hand smoking.

The peaceful coexistence of smokers and non-smokers will not occur unless both parties make an effort to understand the other person’s point of view. With proper research and distribution of data, the administration can provide both students and faculty with appropriate information regarding smoking and its effects.

Emphasis should be placed on effective methods to quit smoking, stress and anxiety management and the effects of second-hand smoking.

People who earnestly want to quit smoking should be provided with the support, information and resources to do so. Those who do not wish to quit smoking should be considerate and mindful of those who do not smoke, and they should consequently only smoke in well-ventilated, less-populated areas.

Likewise, non-smokers need to respect the rights of smokers while maintaining their own; if a person is smoking in a public area near someone who does not smoke, the non-smoker can politely ask the smoker to refrain from doing so. Even if they continue smoking out of spite of your request, know that they are of the minority and that most people who smoke will kindly oblige.

Ultimately, instead of relying on the administration to enforce a policy, it’s up to each student, educator, staff member, Tuscaloosa resident, and anyone else on campus to consider his or her fellow Capstonian’s health and rights before acting. No matter what your stance is on the smoke-free campus debate, don’t allow it to pollute the positive atmosphere we strive for at UA — or the air itself.

Danielle Beach is a freshman majoring in education.