Young students who are currently studying in American colleges are an asset to the nation. They are the future leaders and, therefore, it is in the nation’s interest for campuses to encourage healthy habits as they impart curiosity and intellectual discipline. The health status of the mind and the body influence each other. Smoking of cigarettes poses the biggest danger to the health of those enrolled in college campuses. Studies have shown that a quarter of college students smoke tobacco, more than half of them doing it daily. Despite decline in the number cigarette smokers, 18% of college students were current smokers in 2008 (Berg et al., 2011). There has been a decline in smoking rates amongst the general population in the past decade; however, surveys of college freshmen and high school seniors indicate that smoking has hardly decreased among these age groups.
Smoking does not only pose a health risk to the smoker, but also put the non-smokers at a great risk of illness due to exposure to second-hand smoke. The dangers of second-hand smoke have become common, and agencies such as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have responded with urgency to protect everyone from the dangers posed by second-hand smokes. For example, EPA recently issued guidelines that recommended banning of smoking in public areas and improved ventilation to ensure that people are protected from the effects of smoke from other.
Recent studies have indicated that there is a danger of smoking to both smokers and non-smokers, and this has brought a new urgency to this matter. An individual can drink alone and eat alone in an enclosed area, but he or she cannot smoke alone. A growing body of research has presented evidence showing that smoking does not only pose a significant health risk to smokers, but is also harmful to the health of people who do not smoke. It is estimated that about 3000 lung cancer deaths yearly can be attributed to environmental tobacco smoke in the U. S. (Chaaya et al. 2013). Furthermore, passive smoking has silent and significant effects on the respiratory health status of adults, phlegm production and coughing, reduced lung function and chest pains.
Generally, most Americans who smoke begin the habit during their early twenties and teen. A person who reaches the age of 25 and does not smoke is likely never to smoke or use smokeless tobacco substances. Therefore, college students are always vulnerable when they are put in a stressful social and academic environment. The college years are always the initial taste of freedom away from supervision of parents for many of them. Smoking habits can be adopted earlier, but many campus students make part of the last important age group where people begin smoking and become hooked to nicotine (Seo et al, 2011).
Tobacco smoking should not be allowed on college campuses (Seserman, & Sullivan, 2013). In today’s world, the human race is rapidly progressing on various fronts. Yet, new problems arise every day, one of which is whether students should be allowed to smoke on campus. This is an issue that has drawn a lot of attention and debate. Some people argue that smoking is an individual right so they should be allowed to smoke on campus while many are of the opinion that smoking on campus is not only responsible for their health issues but also has an influence on non-smokers and the environment. From my own perspective, smoking should not be allowed on college campuses. Some people reasonably argue that smoking on campus is not healthy for both the smoker and no-smoker (Polacek & Atkins 2008).
It is general knowledge that tobacco smoking is detrimental to people’s health. Every year millions of people die from tobacco related diseases such as heart diseases, lung cancer and stroke. There is a mixture of carbon monoxide and nicotine in each cigarette that can increase blood pressure and heart rate leading to straining of blood vessels and your heart. Second hand smoke is equally unhealthy. Secondhand smoke is also referred to as environmental tobacco smoke, passive smoke, and involuntary smoke. It is a combination of smoke produced by the burning tobacco product (side-stream smoke) and the smoke exhaled by a smoker (mainstream smoke). It can also lead to respiratory diseases, cancers and heart diseases. College student’s main task in campus is to seek knowledge, and this can be ideally achieved in a good academic environment (Polacek & Atkins 2008). Exposure to secondhand smoke may cause non-smokers to feel sickened, and some even develop allergic reactions. It is, therefore, severely harms non-smoker’s health and infringes on their rights and influence (Seserman, & Sullivan, 2013).
- Ban smoking in all campus events and buildings.
- Give assistance to those who want to quit smoking and ensure that the treatment is covered by the college health plan is available to those who relapse.
- Prohibit the sale of tobacco and it products on campus.
- Prohibit distribution and advertising of tobacco and its products on campus.
- Prohibit the use of the school logo on smoking kits such ashtrays and cigarette lighters.
- Together with students, create a nourishing culture and environment where smoking is viewed as unhealthy and unacceptable habit.
A smoke-free college is necessary to help in protecting all students, staff and faculty from the dangers of smoking. A campus that is free of smoke is no longer an option but an obligation of colleges. Colleges all over the country are bringing smoking on campus to an end. Despite the number of tobacco smokers standing at 46 million, there has been an increase in the number of colleges that have adopted a smoke-free policy in recent years. The success of the policies can be attributed to the numerous efforts made by campus employees and students. The policies have arisen typically because the faculty and students are questioning the impact of tobacco in an educational setting and have decided to discourage exposure to and use of tobacco (Berg et al., 2011).
The popularity of a smoke-free campuses rose significantly in the early 2000’s. The colleges developed their own systems violations for any faculty member or student that failed to comply with the campus rules regulating smoking. Since the development in tobacco free college policy, several schools have recorded success in their implementation of smoking guidelines (Chaaya et al. 2013).
However, not everyone is in support of the smoking ban in colleges. They believe that enforcing policies on a smoke-free environment is an infringement on the rights of people. Many people are, however, confident that no-smoking policies will continue to make positive progress. Since people became aware of the negative effects of smoking, the habit has become more socially unacceptable, the student on campus today is very health conscious and socially aware (Berg et al., 2011). Many schools have enacted the ban because of the need to protect their students, employees, faculty and campus visitors from the risk of second-hand tobacco smoke. The bans have made it more difficult for smokers to continue with the negative habit. A research conducted in Indiana University found that students who lived in smoke-free campuses had a remarkable change in their attitudes regarding smoking and their smoking habits (Berg et al., 2011). The positive changes can be attributed to the rising awareness on the policy and media coverage.
Those who argue against smoking ban in campuses claim that there are other fumes in campus that are potentially harmful such as fumes from diesel trucks. Therefore, they argue that smoking would not have any impact on the quality of air and the overall health. Some argue that smoking is not illegal. Therefore, students should be allowed to do it in other designated places on campus. They further state that smoking bans violate the smoker’s right and encourage stigma and discrimination against people who are addicted to tobacco. They argue that instead implementing and enforcing smoking bans; colleges should focus more resources and effort in smoking cessation. On the other hand, proponents of smoking bans in campus argue that the majority of college students do not smoke. Further, they argue that about two thirds of students would prefer to attend classes in campuses that are smoke free. Three quarters of all students agree to prohibit smoking on campus to keep secondhand smoke away from both staff and students. It has also been shown that non-smokers are 40% less likely to smoke tobacco if they reside in smoke free environments (Seo et al, 2011).
Data Collection and Analysis
Most of the studies done on smoking on campus have used online surveys and questionnaires to increase the response rate. Attitudes towards smoking and policies introduced to ban smoking were assessed using Likert scale in all the studies identified in this study (Seo et al., 2011; Polacek & Atkins 2008; Berg et al., 2011; Chaaya et al. 2013; Seserman, & Sullivan, 2013). Seo et al. (2011) and Berg et al. (2011) are the only studies conducted in the universities that focused only on the students. Other studies included data from faculty and staff in the university (Polacek & Atkins 2008; Chaaya et al. 2013; Seserman & Sullivan et al., 2013).
In Berg et al. (2011) study, qualitative data was analyzed using text coding systems where they were divided into primary and secondary codes. On the other hand, quantitative data were analyzed using the PASW 17.0 system. Seo et al. (2011) used SAS 9.2 to conduct t- and z-tests, while HLM 6.08 software was used for trajectory change variation analysis. Chaaya et al. (2013) used univariate analyses, bivariate analyses, X2 tests and fisher’s exact test to analyze the data. Polacek and Atkins (2008) used multivariate analyses (MONOVA) to evaluate the data.
Conclusion
Despite the efforts made by the national campaign to reduce smoking, there are many factors that continue to influence the possibility of a person smoking in college campuses. Tobacco companies have directed their advertising and marketing towards minors. Tobacco companies are focusing on ensuring college students get promotional material. College students are their perfect targets. They are aged enough to buy cigarettes while at the same time young enough to be easily vulnerable to advertisements promoting cool and fun lifestyle. Alternative newspapers and Magazines that are popular amongst college students are full of cigarette advertisements. In addition, feature films normally glamorize smoking making the entertainment industry guilty of encouraging the use of tobacco
Millions of death will continue to be caused by smoking yearly making it an urgent need for us to save lives. There should be a unified approach against smoking. Colleges should find means of discouraging tobacco use amongst students and try to encourage them to quit. What is the best method that can be used to encourage students to quit smoking? There should be a multi-faceted approach which should include high taxes, powerful anti-smoking advertisements, the total ban on public smoking, increased access to rehabilitation services to help smokers quit (Polacek, & Atkins 2008). Pharmaceutical treatment for those who are dependent on nicotine should also be adapted. In campuses all buildings should be declared smoke-free, such measures will help to protect non-smokers from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke and reduce the number of smokers (Seo et al., 2011). High cigarette taxes and anti-smoking campaigns are not enough to stop college students from smoking, but it is a step in the right direction.
References
Berg, C., Lessard, L., Parelkar, P., Thrasher, J., Kegler, M., Escoffery, C., Goldade, K., & Ahluwalia, J. (2010). College student reactions to smoking bans in public, on campus and at home. Health Education Research, 26(1). 106-118.
Chaaya, M., Alameddine, M., Nakkash, R., Afifi, R., Khalil, J., & Nahhas, G. (2013). Student’s attitude and smoking behavior following the implementation of a university smoke-free policy: a cross-sectional study. BMJ, 3. 1-8.
Polacek, J. & Atkins, J.L. (2008). Smoking behavior, attitudes of second-hand smoke, and no- smoking policies on a university campus. The Health Educator, 40(1). 37-45.
Seo, D., Macy, J.T., Torabi, M., Middlestadt, S. (2011). The effect of a smoke-free campus policy on college students’ smoking behaviors and attitudes. Preventive Medicine, 53. 347-352.
Seserman, M., & Sullivan, J.L. (2013). Tobacco-free U: New Jersey colleges expel tobacco. New Jersey: American Cancer Society.
