Tom Wasko reacts to the new law that prohibits smoking in the Ithaca Commons.

Those that smoke cigarettes occasionally or are exposed to secondhand smoke may be more at risk than they think to developing cancer or other pulmonary disorders later in life, according to a new Cornell study.

[Author’s note: I do not smoke — cigarettes or otherwise — nor have I ever. It is disgusting when my hair smells like an ashtray after standing next to people who smoke, and the cigarette butts that litter the entrance of my building are just as nasty. I also do not want to die of lung cancer.]

In this wonderful country of ours, I am guaranteed the right to the pursuit of happiness — and cigarettes make me happy. Given that I am a ripe 21-years-old, I should damn well be able to buy the cigarettes of my choice.