Nicole Robinson

It is quite apparent that in many classrooms around campus there are great big signs on the wall that read “no smoking.” I wish the university would invest in more signs that read “no chewing.”

It seems everyday I see more and more people chewing tobacco and then spitting it out into some type of bottle. I’ve seen this happen in Davies Center when I am trying to take a break from class, relax and eat lunch. Talk about a loss of appetite.

I’ve also seen it in class when I am listening to the instructor and vigorously trying to take notes. It makes me want to vomit. When I talked to some of my friends who didn’t go to this college, they couldn’t even believe that I ran into problems like these.

The only thing that bothers me is when people use chewing tobacco in enclosed buildings. Think if you were on the other side of the spectrum. You’re in class trying to write notes when you hear someone twist off a cap from their soda bottle. You look and see that certain someone hold the bottle up to their mouth and spit out the yucky brown discharge. Then without caring, the chewer just places it on their desk in full frontal view. It just sits there staring at you … all that brown, gooey spit.

I know what you may be thinking. I know cigarette smoking is probably banned in classrooms because of the second-hand effect it has on people. However, watching the whole chewing process happening is second- hand enough.

If you are outside and using chewing tobacco, that’s fine. At least, it’s outside and won’t be seen by a classroom of 30 people who have to look at it.

I hope people who use chewing tobacco realize they can suffer just as many consequences as smokers. Just because there is no smoke inhaled into your system doesn’t steer you clear of any dangers.

According to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, chewing tobacco may cause bleeding gums and sores on the mouth. There are 28 different kinds of cancer-causing agents in it. The places where cancer could occur because of chewing tobacco use include areas of the lip, tongue, cheek and roof and floor of the mouth.

And don’t forget about the ugly yellow-brownish color teeth will turn from using this product. It also can give you nasty, stinky breath.

Additionally, the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion reports that nationally 3.5 percent of adults are current smokeless tobacco users. It is more popular with men, 6.7 percent, than women, 0.5 percent.

The highest rate of people using chew is among young adults in high school, totalling 6.7 percent. What’s more disturbing is there are 3.7 percent of junior high school students using this product. That is more than adults!

According to tobaccofacts.org, produced by the British Columbia Ministry of Health Services, a person who uses eight to 10 ‘chews’ per day receives the same amount of nicotine as a heavy smoker who smokes 30 to 40 cigarettes a day.

Smokeless tobacco can lead to heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure.

None of these things are very attractive or healthy.

Having come from a family with a sister and mother who smokes, and a dad who chews, I am used to being around a lot of tobacco. I would almost rather have someone blowing cigarette smoke directly into my face than suffering the agony of looking at spit-out chew in the classroom.

It is a personal decision to chew. People can buy it and use it all they want. However, the respectful thing to do is keep it out of the classrooms, please.

It is not fair that other students have to look at the junk you are throwing into your empty Mountain Dew bottle. I am sure you could wait until after class to use it, since cigarette smokers have to do the same.

However, if you do have the need for some kind of fix, try some of that baseball gum. It is kind of like chew. It’s even shredded like it, but it comes in fun flavors such as grape and bubble gum.

Blatz is a sophomore print journalism major and a copy editor of The Spectator.