Smoking Ban

Although there are many benefits to a smoking ban on a college campus, many smokers would not agree to the benefits. They would much rather argue that a smoking ban would be against their rights. A smoker would voice the opinion that it is unfair he or she cannot indulge in an activity he or she sees as relaxing. In others words, participating in the act of smoking is self- choice. “Many have argued that the taxes spent on cigarette purchases have been used to fund the very places where they are being banned from”( Time Magazine by Gilbert Cruz Monday, December 14, 2009).This may be true; however, the problem arises when others are being put at risk. Is it rights of self or harassment of others? This is only one side of the topic that is up for discussion. Is a smoking ban on campus a violation of the students’ rights or is it a plea for a healthy, tobacco free environment? College students spend thousands of dollars on their education and feel as if they should be free to choose whatever lifestyle they want. Having a nonchalant attitude about whether their extracurricular activity offends others. Should non-smoking students have to deal with the dangers of secondhand smoke on their campus? Should they have to dodge and go all the way around the building to find an entrance or exit that is not smoke-filled? Is it fair for smoking to be allowed on college campus to protect the rights of smokers or should it be banned to protect the health of nonsmokers? The writer feels the health and safety of others should outweigh the few. The primary concern with smoking on campus is secondhand smoke. Some people do not care about their health or the health of others these are the people who smoke openly in public, this is viewed as not only inconsiderate but also dangerous. Research has shown that regular exposure to secondhand smoke threatens the health of those who do not smoke. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the United States (CDC, 2010). There is no safe risk level of inhaling Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS). Not only does ETS cause cancer, which can lead to death there are also, many other detrimental health issues related to it such as heart disease, ear infections, and respiratory diseases. Considering the numerous amounts of students on campus with different health conditions, smoking can make for a very dangerous and uncomfortable learning environment. A smoking ban will offer protection from public secondhand smoke exposure to non-smokers who are on campus.
Another benefit of a smoking ban is that it could alter an individual’s lifestyle in general. A smoking ban on campus would encourage smokers to quit smoking, while deterring non-smokers from taking up the habit. Research indicates that ETS acts as a “trigger” for former smokers to smoke again; smoke free environments, therefore, help thwart relapses by former smokers ( Gerson, Allard, & Towvim, 2005). A smoking ban on campus will promote the practice of healthy lifestyle, rather than the risky behavior of smoking cigarettes. It has been proven that regular cigarette smokers often engage in other unhealthy acts such as binge drinking, unsafe sex and even drug abuse. “On the contrary, it has been noted that non-smokers are less likely to become engaged in high risk behaviors such as alcohol abuse and unprotected sex than those who smoke proven that a smoking ban can only work for the better.” (Schneider and Morris,1999; 23:575–591). While there are many more benefits to smoking bans on college campus, health seems to be the writer’s number one.
Likewise, smoking bans will improve the quality of life on campus and as a whole. College plays an important role in society and can have a resounding impact on the general population. Implicitly a smoking ban on the college campus would promote good health and improve the quality of life as this is aspect coherently stems from the purpose of most universities. A college will initiate a trend for the wellbeing of the public by placing a smoking ban. Smoke free campus will not only save lives, but also thousands of dollars for the university as well as the individuals. While implementing the standard that making healthy choices results in longer, more prosperous lives for our next generation of the workforce. The overall reflection of a smoke-free campus is that colleges will be preparing their students to engage in healthy lifestyles when entering into the workforce.
Additionally, smoking bans may open avenues to allow the college to educate the attendees as well as the community about the policy and the negative effects of tobacco. Educating the community on the dangers of smoking is sure to become a means of recruiting prospective students who would benefit from the smoke-free policy. The colleges could benefit from health educators getting involved with starting smoking cessation classes, as well as incentive programs for the ones who have frequently quit as a result to the smoke- free policy. The smoking ban will also send a clear-cut message of the health standard the school holds while showing how the community has benefitted from it. (Alsever et al 2009).
While there are many benefits to a smoking ban on college campuses, protecting the health of students remains the greatest. Even if the smokers feel as if it’s their prerogative to endanger their lives if they want to. It is still each institution’s responsibility to educate the students on healthy living and to persuade them to make healthy choices insuring them a long prosperous, healthy life. Many people enroll into college to become educated in a certain area of life not realizing that college an experience intended to prepare you for years to come. So being
Colleges are prestigious institutions, causing society to value this assumption. A smoking ban would only reinforce this ideology, by promoting healthy lifestyles of their students while creating a healthier, cleaner atmosphere at the university. Smoking bans also can attribute to set moral standards for the current and the prospective students by offering smoking cessation programs also by offering incentive upon completion of the courses.
Smokers will argue that a smoking ban imposes on their personal rights, yes they have rights but their rights must not impose on others rights. Just as a smoker has the right if they would like to kill themselves by ingesting dangerous chemicals that could cause cancer, non-smokers have the right to receive an education in a liberal, smoke free environment. Non-smokers deserve to be able to freely enter any area unoffensively , not having to hold their noses or grimace at the repugnant smell of smoke.

Works Cited
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/