???A few days ago, I woke up to clear skies, a vibrant sun and no sight of snow anywhere. After being cooped up inside my dorm, afraid to face the harsh winter conditions and snowfalls, I was relieved that spring had finally graced Buffalo.
???Walking outside, I felt the comforting warmth of a bright day as I breathed in the crisp air of a March morning. I soon realized however that I was not inhaling the fresh air I desperately craved, but instead was taking deep breaths of cigarette smoke.
???To put it simply, I was annoyed. Here I was enjoying this beautiful day that I had waited months for and my fellow peer decided to light up a cancer-stick while walking in front of me, oblivious to the smoke catching in the wind and traveling directly at my face.
???Sadly enough, this wasn't the first time I had unwillingly been subjected to a nose-full of the nasty smell, forced to change my course of direction while walking across campus.
Still livid with the smoking stranger, later in the week I was confronted by a group of the same. There they stood, taking long drags of their cigarettes outside of Capen while I tried to hold my breath and make a quick run for the entrance.
???When the ban on smoking announced to be implemented for the next academic year, I couldn't have been happier. Finally, I could walk around campus and breathe easily. I wouldn't have to cover my nose and cough anymore as I caught a whiff of the deadly scent, and wouldn't be forced to walk somewhere else as the smell of cigarettes lingered behind.
???As with any change, the UBreathe Free initiative was met with resistance. There were arguments that free choice had been taken away and an unfair, sudden decision made without the students' voice. I felt as much sympathy as I could muster for smokers affected by the ban, forced to stop killing themselves and harming everyone else around them.
???Clearly, smoking is an addiction hard to break. I think most students were perturbed that they were almost obligated to quit by the ban. But I couldn't help but think, "What's so bad about a little tough love to quit the bad habit?" Lungs and yellow teeth will be salvaged, you'll certainly save money by not buying multiple packs a week and a ten-minute mile won't seem so out of reach.
???Understandably, it's a person's choice to smoke and if they want to light up one or 10 cigarettes a day as the cancer causing carcinogens slowly seep into their lungs, more power to them. But it's my choice to stay as far away from the tobacco as I can, while supporting the approaching ban.
???Next year, when stuck in close corridors in classrooms or the library, I'm hopeful that I won't smell the scent of cigarettes, lingering on students' clothing and in their hair and won't be forced to cover my nose or choose another seat if I want to think clearly.
???I look forward to the day when I can see a noticeable difference in the cleanliness of UB, free from cigarette butts littered across the pavement and grass.
???I'm optimistic that UB will become and remain a 100 percent smoke-free campus in the coming fall. I'm not sure how well the ban will be enforced, but for now, I look forward to breathing freely.
