Spring is in the air, and nothing can ruin a sunny day faster than a plume of smoke rising from the many, many students (and nurses, doctors, and faculty) that sit in front of the “No Smoking” signs in front of the Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital on Adelbert Rd.

I have, for the record, no problem with people who choose to smoke. I don’t care what they smoke, what time, or where it happens, as long as it’s legal and/or permitted. Or as long as I’m not walking through it when it is posted otherwise. Cleveland, and indeed all of Ohio, supposedly has pretty strict requirements on when and where it is okay to smoke. I don’t what to sound like a PSA, but hear me out.

Sitting in front of the “No Smoking” sign is, at the very least, ironic. It’s also a gross indicator of society’s negligence and apathy, especially at Case Western Reserve University and the University Hospitals. No one enforces the ban in this area, to my knowledge, or if they do, they do it selectively. Considering that I see the same people sitting there every day smoking a pack, I’m pretty sure no policing goes on.

A few weeks ago there was a survey sent out to students about how the smoking problem makes them feel, and the results were sent out a few weeks later. Let me tell you what the results were: Smokers said there was no problem with blowing smoke rings into someone’s face, because it was their right to smoke. Non-smokers said they didn’t mind the smoking, overall, but rather the location of said smoke rings. Big surprise, right?

Don’t get me wrong, there are definitely smokers who obey the law, or at least don’t try to blow their exhaled carcinogens into my face. But the only ones you hear from are the fringe who are angry that they can’t smoke directly outside of their dormitories.

To summarize, the survey results pretty much indicated that it is preferable for things to remain the same, and that my lungs aren’t going to get any cleaner. That’s not thinking beyond the possible…that’s smoking beyond the possible. Ha.

I won’t talk about the smoking locations on the rest of the campus, because those are designated areas and I could care less if you smoke there. But for those of you who sit in front of a children’s hospital and take a drag, shame on you! What would Smokey the Bear say about that?