Second-hand smoke is not only dangerous to people with asthma or allergies. Countless studies have been done to prove the hazards second-hand smoke has on everyone. It s even worse, dorms are not open public places where the smoke is fairly disperse. The smoke is in a tiny, badly ventilated room where we have to live if we wish to get an education here. We do not really have the option to move out if we are uncomfortable, because of this smoking should be forbidden in dorms as well.
Many smokers feel that prohibiting smoking in dorm rooms is an infringement on their rights.
However, under this principle, authorities have the justification to prevent smokers from doing so in their dorm rooms because it intrudes on the health and safety of others. A great number of schools have instituted non-smoking policies throughout their dorms and have been very successful with them. Another factor that must be taken into consideration is fire safety. Fires in dorms are easily spread, and can easily be started by a cigarette that is not properly put out. On January 19 this year, a fire raged through a 640-bed dorm in Seton Hall.