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January 5th, 2024
Smokers depicted in multimedia exhibit featured at the portrait show at Art Under the Arches, Ajo, Arizona
Welcome to the Ajo Plaza and the greater Curly campus
(edited from a social media post, December, 2023)
An oasis for smokers!
In fact, cigarette smokers are free to puff anywhere around the plaza, near the Ajo store, next to the yoga studio, upwind and next to doors, and chances are nobody will complain! Yay! To some it’s a nuisance and a bother but apparently isn’t important enough to talk about nor is it ever really considered a health hazard for anyone. It’s America, the land of the free. Regardless of most of the western USA, we party like it’s 1959. Smoke up Ajo, you have the freedom to do so.
(photos include the first setup by the gallery followed by the intended sequence of pictures in the series)
The following is a rough outline about secondhand smoke and how it effects our community:
Many smokers are trying to be respectful but are unaware of their impact on certain locals with sensitivity to certain toxins
Smoking in Ajo, even in “designated” areas however can be very problematic
Other places around the nation smoke often travels upwards
Unpredictable shifting winds and sudden gusts make these current smoking areas counterproductive in Ajo
Most of the outdoor activities around Ajo are in locations like the plaza and greater Curly School campus which contain several breezeways, arches, and other architecture that causes cigarette smoke to travel quickly hundreds of feet without warning
Ajo attracts a lot of retired and disabled people who are needing to avoid the stresses of urban life including needing clean air
This can also be the case with Ajo residents who live with chronic and debilitating respiratory conditions
Arizona, like most western states, have been enacting programs for nonsmokers rights, so it shouldn’t be a big surprise
For many nonsmokers, secondhand smoke isn’t just bothersome or a nuisance, it can trigger significant health problems
Most burnable tobacco products have been proven to contain known poisons like hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, arsenic, formaldehyde, tar, and thousands of other chemicals
We want the freedom to continue working, volunteering, and participating without the fear of getting sick
It’s getting to the point where some of us are having to stay home because of these concerns, or because of recovering from being sick due to exposure
We are not only connected with feeling physically ill, but in addition, there can be a lot of conflict prone situations as a result of trying to advocate for ourselves
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Updates:
January 13th, a response from a local, face masks left at the gallery, and was moved by the artist to become a part of the exhibit
January 26th, sticky note somehow disappeared
For questions, comments, and ways to make a positive impact on our community, please use this contact link: http://SundayDriverproductions.com/contact
Sunday Driver Productions 