The Sheltered Walkway

In the picture, the students are walking home along a sheltered walkway near their school. Some are talking with friends while others are looking at their phones as they walk. However, I also notice a man smoking just beside the walkway, and the smoke is drifting across the path the students have to use. What stands out to me is that the students have no way to avoid walking through it, since the walkway is the only sheltered route.

This reminds me of walking to the bus stop after school with my friend. There is a corner where people often stand and smoke, and we usually hold our breath or walk faster to get past it. One afternoon the smoke was so strong that my friend, who has asthma, started coughing and had to stop and use her inhaler. I felt quite helpless because there was nothing we could do about it except move away.

I feel a few things could help. Firstly, designated smoking areas could be placed away from school routes, since most smokers will use them if they are clearly marked and convenient. Secondly, clearer no-smoking signs along walkways near schools would remind people who are not being deliberately inconsiderate. Most importantly, I think enforcement matters, because rules that are never enforced are quickly ignored, and children walking to school should not have to breathe someone else's smoke.