Breathe in deeply, can't you smell it? The deep rich scent of pine trees, the fragrant perfume of orchards in full bloom, and the acrid smell of tobacco smoke.
Due to new legislation regarding smoking in public areas, you may find drastic changes to your everyday life, smoker or not.
Remember your high school years? Everyone smoked and cigarettes were easily available at any corner store.
Some grew out of it, and some still smoke today, but it was part of teenage life, and still is.
However, due to a push by the provincial government to introduce a healthier environment for students, the days of smoking at school are numbered.
Effective by 2008, a ban will prohibit smoking in all public spaces completely.
Statistically smokers average about 14% of BC's population, and more than 6,000 people die annually due to tobacco products.
An estimated 21% of youths have used or continue to smoke.
With percentages such as these, it's no wonder that an initiative has been taken to curb these numbers.
The question is, has the proper action been taken to provide a healthier environment for students? Will this ban have a positive effect on the student body, or will it simply force smokers to walk across the road during breaks? "What I suspect will happen is that students will go from school grounds onto the sidewalk, which is public property, and at that point it's legal on the sidewalk," says local high school principal; "It may dissuade younger students from venturing over there and getting started on the habit, but I don't think many kids start in the smoke pit, I think most kids start socially off of school grounds.
" So if we are just passing the buck to local businesses and residents, then how do we know this will not simply create a larger problem? If smokers are now forced to go off of school grounds every break then the new smoke pit may end up to be nearby front lawns.
"I think there will be a negative impact on the community; I know there has been a time when the district has discussed eliminating the smoking areas and there was a response from the community saying that if we shut down the smoking pit, it will just push the problem onto the community.
"Says local School District Trustee.
If there have been concerns in the past from business owners and residents, then rest assured, there are complaints being filed as we speak, so is something that is liable to create problems in the community really worth doing? Many teachers and administrators think not.
But how do the students themselves feel? Almost every smoker that was asked about the ban in high school had no idea it was happening.
True, the school could be considered on the backwater side, but shouldn't this significant ban be announced before teachers are outside chasing students across the road? "I think it's great to take the initiative to stop young people from starting smoking, but those of us who are already down that road, leave us alone" says one of the few smokers aware of the ban.
If the majority of students are of this opinion, which is highly possible, then how do we know that this legislation will not simply be scrapped like the recently delayed student portfolio project? "The province has made such a strong stand on health, I would be very surprised if we see quick change in this ban" says local SD Trustee.
The ban then may be here to stay, but the main question remains, will these measures actually work in cutting down the number of new smokers? True, prohibiting the use of tobacco products on school grounds will limit the influence of smokers on their peers at school, but is that where smokers even begin the habit? With so much influence through the mass media and everyday life, this ban may be a vain attempt at stopping students from smoking.
"I didn't start smoking because of school, or this area," says a grade 12 student, "I think if people are going to smoke, they are going to find their reason to smoke outside of school" Then perhaps this ban is nothing but another hollow law to give the appearance of a health conscience provincial government.
It would not be surprising; the revenues managed by the government amounting to approximately $20.
6 billion in 2005/06 were not negatively affected by annual tobacco sales, that is for certain.
"I think it's very political, health is a very important issue now and I think there's a bit of a false sense that this is going to change things," says a local principal, "I don't think that making kids go an extra ten steps will make them stop smoking, I think that what it will do is push the problem out into our community.
" I suppose the only thing for us to do at this point is to simply await the next ministry approved school survey and ponder the results.
There is much skepticism about this newly introduced ban, but there is a bright side, there is no way it can possibly increase the number of smokers at school, so no real ground will be lost.
Could a better ban have been approved? Most likely, but to move drastically against organizations which hold so much economical power is not the best course of action in a capitalist society, my guess is that no significant ban on tobacco products will be seen anytime soon in BC.
"I think that if the government really wanted to eliminate smoking, it would make cigarettes illegal, or tax them to the point where nobody can afford to buy them," says a skeptical high school principal,"If you really want to make a difference, then lets get serious, saying you cant smoke in one particular spot doesn't really change anything.
"
Due to new legislation regarding smoking in public areas, you may find drastic changes to your everyday life, smoker or not.
Remember your high school years? Everyone smoked and cigarettes were easily available at any corner store.
Some grew out of it, and some still smoke today, but it was part of teenage life, and still is.
However, due to a push by the provincial government to introduce a healthier environment for students, the days of smoking at school are numbered.
Effective by 2008, a ban will prohibit smoking in all public spaces completely.
Statistically smokers average about 14% of BC's population, and more than 6,000 people die annually due to tobacco products.
An estimated 21% of youths have used or continue to smoke.
With percentages such as these, it's no wonder that an initiative has been taken to curb these numbers.
The question is, has the proper action been taken to provide a healthier environment for students? Will this ban have a positive effect on the student body, or will it simply force smokers to walk across the road during breaks? "What I suspect will happen is that students will go from school grounds onto the sidewalk, which is public property, and at that point it's legal on the sidewalk," says local high school principal; "It may dissuade younger students from venturing over there and getting started on the habit, but I don't think many kids start in the smoke pit, I think most kids start socially off of school grounds.
" So if we are just passing the buck to local businesses and residents, then how do we know this will not simply create a larger problem? If smokers are now forced to go off of school grounds every break then the new smoke pit may end up to be nearby front lawns.
"I think there will be a negative impact on the community; I know there has been a time when the district has discussed eliminating the smoking areas and there was a response from the community saying that if we shut down the smoking pit, it will just push the problem onto the community.
"Says local School District Trustee.
If there have been concerns in the past from business owners and residents, then rest assured, there are complaints being filed as we speak, so is something that is liable to create problems in the community really worth doing? Many teachers and administrators think not.
But how do the students themselves feel? Almost every smoker that was asked about the ban in high school had no idea it was happening.
True, the school could be considered on the backwater side, but shouldn't this significant ban be announced before teachers are outside chasing students across the road? "I think it's great to take the initiative to stop young people from starting smoking, but those of us who are already down that road, leave us alone" says one of the few smokers aware of the ban.
If the majority of students are of this opinion, which is highly possible, then how do we know that this legislation will not simply be scrapped like the recently delayed student portfolio project? "The province has made such a strong stand on health, I would be very surprised if we see quick change in this ban" says local SD Trustee.
The ban then may be here to stay, but the main question remains, will these measures actually work in cutting down the number of new smokers? True, prohibiting the use of tobacco products on school grounds will limit the influence of smokers on their peers at school, but is that where smokers even begin the habit? With so much influence through the mass media and everyday life, this ban may be a vain attempt at stopping students from smoking.
"I didn't start smoking because of school, or this area," says a grade 12 student, "I think if people are going to smoke, they are going to find their reason to smoke outside of school" Then perhaps this ban is nothing but another hollow law to give the appearance of a health conscience provincial government.
It would not be surprising; the revenues managed by the government amounting to approximately $20.
6 billion in 2005/06 were not negatively affected by annual tobacco sales, that is for certain.
"I think it's very political, health is a very important issue now and I think there's a bit of a false sense that this is going to change things," says a local principal, "I don't think that making kids go an extra ten steps will make them stop smoking, I think that what it will do is push the problem out into our community.
" I suppose the only thing for us to do at this point is to simply await the next ministry approved school survey and ponder the results.
There is much skepticism about this newly introduced ban, but there is a bright side, there is no way it can possibly increase the number of smokers at school, so no real ground will be lost.
Could a better ban have been approved? Most likely, but to move drastically against organizations which hold so much economical power is not the best course of action in a capitalist society, my guess is that no significant ban on tobacco products will be seen anytime soon in BC.
"I think that if the government really wanted to eliminate smoking, it would make cigarettes illegal, or tax them to the point where nobody can afford to buy them," says a skeptical high school principal,"If you really want to make a difference, then lets get serious, saying you cant smoke in one particular spot doesn't really change anything.
"