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COMMENTARY APRIL 15, 2004 - Page 9 Stop smoking . Roommate wanted: The health warnings are Housing selection process leaves no there for a reason options for students without roommates Cigarettes contain the pily light up. Sure, as a most addicting chemicals friend, T have told him that Have you ever come needs active procedures to Putting fliers in each known cigarettes contain four across a school policy that ig- induce communication be- person's campus mailbox to man. thousand different chemi- nores a tween people who are look- would be more cost effective They are cals, forty three of them problem ing for roommates and to and useful. The school could the cause cancer to the body, situation - help narrow down the also put out e-mail alerts to all sin g 1 e yet the look on his face is or even search for a roommate. Al- students which include the in- m 0 5 t priceless. Sure, he has seen makes it though I advocate a social formation of all the people prevent- the commercials and read worse? Ire- for those who need room- looking for roommates. a b I e the ads, but he is willing to centlycame mates, any way of solving . Ultimately, Ithink socials cause of ignore the facts and con- , across such the roommate problem will for those who do not have prema- tinue to smoke. a policy be more beneficial than the ture death today in the "It makes me feel the Resi- in policy currently in place. roommates are the best option; the social could be held the United States. It is an amaze- good," Maddrix said. dence Life office at McDaniel Another possible so- night before room selection for ment how nearly fifty million Well, if feeling good College. After knowing where lution to the housing/ each type of housing. Americans continue to makes you lie six feet un- r was going to live on campus roommate hassles is getting The administration smoke cigarettes (resulting in der, I will pass. At least next year, I was kicked out at rid of the policy altogether. should have a cookie and tea over four hundred and fifty youths stand a better the last minute. On room selection day, stu- gathering in Decker for those thousand deaths annually). chance of successfully quit- I was stressed because J dents could apply for a who are looking for a room- Are cigarettes worth it? ting. For many adults, the had no second plans, which double in the house or mate. This allows people to Personally,l have never thought of quitting is just a meant no one to room with. building they want and an- talk to each other see if they get tried smoking a cigarette. figment of the imagination. Sincenone of the selection pro- other person (of the same along. This way it is easy to You can call It a childhood Both of my parents have cess for the housing Iwanted sex) who is looking for a find someone for a roommate rule or whatever you would smoked for my entire life, had taken place yet, Ithought roommate in the same type without looking around the like. While I sit down and re- and I have witnessed the Iwas fine. Then the residence of housing gets matched. wide expanses of the COllege. search this filthy habit, I can- hazards of their addiction. life office informed me that I Housing placement would Each of these proposals is not fathom why anyone I wish I could help my fa- could not apply for a double be according to students' cost effective. No matter how would ever want to put their ther kick the habit he hates unlesslhad a roommate. That draw. this school makes it possible body through such torture. now but cherished earlier. was no help - all my friends Granted, this random for those looking for room- According to the United He was 16 years-old when have chosen roommates ._ I matching process could be mates to meet up or be able to States Surgeon General, he started smoking, and the had told them [ knew where I like the first semester of get into a double, some change about six thousand kids un- power behind a cigarette was going to live. freshman year, which is not in the current policy and ac- der the age of eighteen try was immeasurable. How. was I to find a exactly w~at some students tions needs to be. smoking cigarettes each day "I wish that l could roommate? want to repeat. But for MAARET KLABER resulting in nearly seven stop smoking," my father Residence life offered other students, it could be STAFF WRJTER hundred thousand kids be- said. "I am glad I never let . no answers. The school a viable solution . coming addicted annually. you start." His words were short Yet each year youths grown man talk as though ------------ continue to light up the very but poignant. To hear a cigarettes that could eventu- ally kill them. he was stuck with no way Not that long ago, ciga- out was something I had rettes were marketed as never experienced before. "cool" and "hip." Gone were Nicotine is a lot stron- the alarming facts about ciga- ger than he and many other rettes and the million and one smokers ever imagined. doctors telling their patients The commercials and that this wonderful habit advertisements now herald would someday kill you. the hazards of cigarette Luckily, the norm today smoking. Now more includes commercials on tele- youths just need to listen. If vision every five minutes and they do not listen, the num- magazine ads galore scream- ber of people who have to ing that a smoking habit has face the harsh and fatal con- deadly consequences. So you sequences of smoking will would think kids would start continue to rise. to get the idea. Why ignore the obvi- 3137 Baltimore Blvd. - Finksburg, MD Unfortunately not. ous? Is the cigarette buzz 74 West Main Street - Westminster, MD There are countless really worth it? teens like Westminster resi- TYLER GRAHAM 2284 Baltimore Blvd. - Westminster, MD dent Tim Maddrix who hap- STAFF WRITER 1155 South Main Street - Hampstead, MD 1 Magna Way, - Westminster MD I \iiEi:e7 @ilj:;:0iit All Your Needs InA Jiffyl: ------------