There is no better time to be a student at the University than the fall. The sounds of Bryant-Denny on gameday, the sight of the plants on the Quad changing color, and the cool breeze signaling the coming winter make fall a magical time.

Yet last week, on my way across campus from the Ferguson Center to the Quad, one of these cool breezes was interlaced with enough cigarette smoke to cause an elephant to faint.

Now I will be honest and say I think smoking is a disgusting habit, but I also think that if someone wants to die early of a chronic disease, they should have that right. After all, one of my good friends is a chain smoker who commonly dealt with bouts of sickness, but I never once told him to stop; that is the role of the Student Health Center. The problem with smoking on campus is that it affects the health of everyone else.

There are countless studies that show second hand smoke is just as dangerous to one’s health as first-hand smoke. People can choose not to smoke, and they can choose to go to bars and restaurants that are smoke-free. However, when it comes to where they have class, most students don’t have a choice.

Right now, individuals are not allowed to smoke within 30 feet of the entrance of a building. I don’t know how far 30 feet is, but what I do know is that every time I walk out of ten Hoor Hall I am greeted with enough second hand smoke to cause an instantaneous case of lung cancer.

There are designated smoking areas for a reason. These areas are placed in semi-open locations that stay clear of the entrance of buildings and the main crossways of campus to prevent smoke buildup and limit the amount of people exposed.

Lets look at Bryant-Denny Stadium as an example. At the Ole Miss game this past Saturday, I could deal with the four pools of vomit I had to cross going to the restroom, but what bothered me was having to cross the mass of smokers who could have easily moved to the designated smoking areas, which even include benches for them to sit on. These areas are raised and are away from the main walkways. Yet, they chose to violate my right of choosing not to smoke.

If people can’t follow the rules of smoking in designated areas, and the University is not going to enforce these rules, than a campus-wide smoking ban should be imposed.

I don’t want to infringe on one’s right to smoke, but I don’t want my right not to smoke to be infringed on because some people cannot follow the rules. If you don’t get good grades, you lose your scholarship. If you don’t pay your cell phone bill, your iPhone becomes a really pretty brick. If you smoke where you shouldn’t, you should not be able to smoke anymore. We are all adults on this campus. Let’s start acting like it.

Ryan Flamerich is a sophomore majoring in engineering and a member of the SGA Senate.