UP Smokers bond over butts

By Corey Fawcett, Staff Reporter -- fawcett13@up.edu

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to smoke freely in a loosely organized group setting" might be the mantra of the University of Portland Smokers Alliance.

The alliance, called UPSA for short, is a group of UP students that congregate s on campus to converse over cigarettes. The group is not officially recognized by UP but is progressively gaining notoriety all over campus. Members enjoy an environment free of judgment and full of the billowy smoke of Newports, Turkish Royals and Camel 99's.

"UPSA is just a loose aggregate of friendly people that smoke on this campus," said Derek Devine, a freshman.

More than anything, the group was founded as a way to make friends.

Zane Baltzor, UPSA president, met fellow freshman and current UPSA member Jeffrey Phillips at the beginning of the year freshman bowling party.

"We started talking and realized that we both smoked, and since we didn't really know anyone yet we decided to get some other smokers together," Baltzor said.

UPSA formed soon after.

Group members contact each other a few times a week to meet up at various spots on campus, often outside of Christie Hall or on the "squishy bricks," the group's nickname for the patio made of recycled rubber bricks near the Pilot House.

"Meetings" usually last an hour or so, and members present range anywhere from three to 20.

"It's just an excuse to get together," UPSA member and freshman Ethan Barnes said.

Come springtime, UPSA plans on holding Smoking Olympics outside of Christie Hall. Events will include seeing who has the longest ash on their cigarette after strolling around the building (leaving 50 feet between themselves and the entrance and 20 feet from any of the windows, openings or air intakes, of course) and smoking wheelbarrow races where the first "wheelbarrow" to finish a cigarette wins.

Most UPSA members don't feel the smoking policies are too strict, but many wish it was easier to find a covered area to smoke under when it rains.

"I guess I could just not smoke," Jeffrey Phillips, freshmam, said before laughing hysterically.

Aside from the occasional encounter with a sarcastically coughing passerby, UPSA has encountered little hostility from non smoking peers.

"People see that we try to be respectful and stand away from buildings, so they leave us alone," Phillips said.

Also, members always make sure to keep their distance from people that who smoking.

"I used to hate cigarette smoke so I respect that people don't want to be around it," Baltzor said.

UPSA is also a support group for people trying to kick the habit. They keep an eye out on campus for those they know are trying to quit, and even give them prizes for smoke-free weeks.

"A lot of us don't see us smoking until the end of our lives," Phillips said.

Although the group has become quite close-knit throughout the year, membership is not exclusive. UPSA even allows nonsmoking groupies to attend meetings.

"If you ever want to find out more about UPSA, just ask a smoker," Phillips said. "It's a great way to make friends, meet up and chain-smoke your heart out."

How are you treated as a UP smoker?

Jeffrey Philips, freshman: "Sometimes you can catch glances from people, which isn't appreciated."

Gareth Smyth, sophmore: "You do get some odd looks, no matter how old you are."

Ethan Barnes, freshman: "They need to do a better job at emptying the cigarette posts."

Ian Clark, sophmore: "Since I smoke with a pipe people usually think I'm pretty cool."