To the Editor:
At about 3 a.m. after AD's Nobacco party last Saturday night, all I could say to myself was, "Holy crap, my contacts are not cloudy and burning, and I don't smell like smoke. I can't believe it worked."
In case you missed it, Alpha Delta held a tobacco free party this past weekend. The night marked the beginning of a series of Nobacco-sponsored parties aimed at promoting a tobacco free life for students.
I'll be the first to admit, when I asked the people to put out their cigarettes, some smokers got pretty annoyed. Some blew their smoke between pouty lips and began to whine, some went so far as to make me throw them out. They wondered what was going on, and why AD - traditionally a provider of smoking refuge - would close its borders on that night. But after explaining the purpose of the party, most people were cooperative and - dare I say - supportive of the tobacco-free theme.
Later, standing outside, I spoke with several people about their impressions of the party. Needless to say, the non-smokers overwhelmingly approved. The smokers, on the other hand, were less enthusiastic, but were propitiated with one last drag before putting out their cigs and entering the house.
I think it was a nice change for Dartmouth, and a reflection of the sometimes latent health-conscienceness of students. For the length of the party, there was an undetectable amount of smoke in the air. I would wholeheartedly prefer more parties like this one. A lovely Kappa summed it up well when she later mentioned: "It was such a pleasant change to return back to my room smelling springtime fresh rather than like an ashtray."
The seed is planted, we have seen what a party can be like without the clouds of smoke around our heads. So now the question arises: is Dartmouth ready for a permanent breath of fresh air?
