Smoke Alarm

"How do you know that?" is a question I hear rather frequently. I love to talk, and if given the opportunity, I will discuss any topic any time. Where do I get my fact-based evidence? I read- a lot.

As a journalism student, I find myself on news-related Web sites at least several times a day. I like to know things, and I would rather hunt down stories on my own instead of having them presented to me on television according to newsroom priorities. Lately, I've been keeping a close eye on the health section of CNN. You'd be surprised how many stories are relevant to pregnancy and infants.

Today, I saw an article titled, "Pregnant women: Secondhand smoke can harm your unborn baby." No kidding.

I always thought it was obvious that pregnant women shouldn't take in breaths of smoky air or stroll through opium dens, but what I didn't know were the exact statistics. According to CNN's article, secondhand smoke exposure increases a non-smoking pregnant woman's chances of delivering a stillborn by 23 percent. The same exposure increases the risk of birth defects by 13 percent. I'm no math genius, but those percentages seem way too high for me not to care.

In November 2009, the University of Kentucky adopted a non-smoking campus rule. Tobacco products are prohibited on all areas of campus, including parking zones. Much to my chagrin, I see people smoking on campus every single day, including UK employees. One of the more entertaining sights on UK's grounds was a person standing right next to a "No Smoking" sign while he or she lit up. Not so funny any more.

I understand that pregnant women and smokers have to coexist in this world, but can't I at least take solace in knowing that the campus where I live and go to class every day won't pose an issue? I've been asthmatic since I was 7 years old, but cigarette smoke never rattled my chains quite like it does now.

If you're a smoker and reading this, I hope you don't feel like this is a personal attack. My sincere plea is that you don't smoke in places where you're not supposed to, because plenty of people, pregnant or not, rely on those areas to be smoke-free.

If not for me, do it for the babies. :)