Disclaimer/Introduction

Several things that I should mention before I start blogging about the controversial issue of smoking:

1. This blog is not intended to be impartial. As a non-smoker, it would be virtually impossible to remove any bias I have.
   
2. I'm not a doctor or a scientist, so I can't prove anything. Any facts that I cite should be weighted in proportion to the validity of their original sources.
3. There is overwhelming evidence that smoking and secondhand smoke have predominantly negative consequences, so I will be writing under the assumption that smoking and secondhand smoke are unfavorable realities that society is coping with.
4. I do not intend to alienate or target smokers. The problem, as I see it, is smoking--a habit that anyone can feasibly pick up. In a sense, we are all to blame for its prevalence.
5. I welcome any and all arguments and will respect (and hopefully respond to) those opinions.

Now, some background on me: I'm Nick. I graduated from UC Berkeley this past December with a major in Legal Studies. During my last two semesters, I became increasingly involved with TobaccNO, a student organization focused on educating the campus community about tobacco and advocating for smoke-free campus policy, the latter of which was my calling. Thanks to my short-lived involvement with TobaccNO, I helped make some positive changes on campus, leaving Berkeley slightly better than I found it. I am determined to continue this type of work elsewhere, and am optimistic that this blog will somehow lead me to those opportunities.

Although there are arguments to be made for and against tobacco use as a personal choice and/or cultural custom, I am primarily concerned with the justice behind secondhand smoke in public spaces. Personally, secondhand smoke is bothersome--not only because it smells awful and is far from healthy, but because it is preventable and, more often than not, involuntary. I don't think I am alone in this regard; I suspect that there are many people out there, like me, who can't stand having smoke inadvertently blown in their direction. However, it seems that most of us, for whatever reason, are reluctant to confront this issue.

My purpose for this blog is to feature and commend those who are confronting the issue and are making progress toward establishing smoke-free environments. Along the way, I will offer my own commentary and analysis to spark productive dialogue. Thanks for reading, and enjoy!