Opinion

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Send smokers into their own section

By Erika Lavers
Roncalli Central High
Port Saunders, Newfoundland

You walk into a crowded food court. You find a table in the non-smoking area and a couple sit next to you. You think nothing of it until one of them hauls out a cigarette and blows smoke in your face.

You want to do something, but what can you say? It's not as if they're going to listen to you. They think they have as much right as you to be there, they paid money for their food and feel they can smoke wherever they like as long as there are chairs free. I hate to sit down and to eat when people are smoking. The smoke makes me so queasy that I no longer feel like eating. These people need to be in a separate space as they are at Tim Horton's, which has a smoking section enclosed by glass walls. Let these people kill themselves with smoke -- not everyone else. Placing a glass room in a food court is a good investment and more places should be looking into it.

This may attract new business, as it will encourage people to eat in places that are really smoke-free. I think all the restaurants should pitch in to build a glass room where smokers can eat and smoke when they want. Those, like me, who don't like smoke can stay outside and eat in comfort.

If enough people speak up against smoking in non-smoking areas, then we may have a chance to get this glass room put into place. If it is put into place, it will help me and many others live longer.

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