Opinion

Hasta la vista, smokers

Schwarzeneggar bans cigarettes in Cal. prisons

By Bethany Bubar

Posted on Sept. 30, 2004, at 12:00 a.m.

The air will soon be a little cleaner in California thanks to Governor Schwarzeneggar. It seems as though, this week, he decided that giving prisoners the luxury of smoking isn’t something he jives with. Maybe it isn’t so much out of care and concern for the well being of the 160,000 inmates in his state.

Perhaps it is the $280 million the government has to shell out in health care costs each year for inmates. Whatever made him sign the bill was a good thing. All I can say is go, T-2.

It’s about time politicians looked into new ways of saving the government some money. And, how appropriate, that at the same time, prisoners stuffed in overcrowded jails will actually be punished. Why should they have the luxury of smoking on the quad five times a day?

They are criminals. They need to get exactly what is coming to them. I’m a believer in the fact that all choices have consequences and you have to pay for your mistakes.

It’s time the sex offenders and murderers enjoy their twenty-five to life. Let’s give them the chance to sit in their corner and think about what they’ve done. Cutting smoking out of their day will save give them at least another hour to do so.

Banning smoking in prisons will ensure that the transition to life behind bars might be a little rougher, but, with less hacking and phlegm.

I’m all about letting people make their own decisions. Far be it from me to tell someone they shouldn’t be allowed to smoke, unless my tax dollars are paying for them to do so. That is unacceptable.

Luckily, that’s all about to change. I know if I were a Californian, I would be breathing a sigh of relief today.

Maybe now, the inmates of today and future citizens of tomorrow will come to appreciate a good cigar, just like California’s infamous Governor. Perhaps after their twenty-five are up, they can join Ahnold in his smoking tent outside the state office. All in all, we’ll be bringing politicians and criminals closer together.

Bethany Bubar is a sophmore journalism major.

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 30th, 2004, 12:00 am. You can follow any responses to this article through the RSS feed.