Biology professor V. Pat Lombardi is on a personal crusade to save the campus from the ill effects of tobacco smoke. Lombardi’s concern for the health of students and faculty is endearing, although his attack on the tobacco sales in the Erb Essentials convenience store may be futile.
Lombardi told the Emerald that money earned from tobacco sales is tainted because it is made at the expense of people’s health. This is true; however, if the professor is adamant about health issues, he should also advocate for the removal of candy bars, soda pop, coffee, hot dogs and virtually every other junk food snack that is sold alongside the cigarettes in the store.
Even if Lombardi gets his way, students will not be deterred from buying tobacco or smoking. It will simply be an inconvenience for students who will be forced to spend their money elsewhere, which would take money away from the EMU.
Last year the Erb Essentials store made more than $100,000 from tobacco sales, making up 7.5 percent of total EMU food service sales. If these sales ceased, the EMU would lose a large chunk of its annual revenue and more student fees would have to be allocated to keep the building running.
Lombardi presents us with paternalistic garbage by suggesting smokers should be stripped of their rights to buy cigarettes on campus. Erb Essentials has been selling tobacco products for years with little or no bellyaching. Why Lombardi is bringing this issue up now is unclear.
Students are adults and should be trusted to act and behave responsibly. Because Erb Essentials is a convenience store, perhaps students should lobby for putting beer and wine onto store shelves. After all, it is as inconvenient for drinkers as it would be for smokers to have to go off campus for drinks. And if Clancy Thurber’s sells alcohol, why not allow Erb Essentials the same freedom?
If Lombardi truly wants to help with the smoking epidemic on campus, he should propose a more plausible suggestion. Perhaps if we add a dime or nickel on tobacco sales from Erb Essentials, that money could be used to create an anti-smoking advertising campaign.
Barring cigarette sales from campus is both financially unsound and patronizing to smokers. There are better causes to be preoccupied with than cigarette sales.