“Dude, smoking is so 80´s!” said a student who was walking from the parking lot to the main entrance of the building to attend her class. I didn’t know her name or anything but it caught my attention what she said and how she said it. I found it quite amusing that she would use that expression to make her point. Smoking nowadays is not something strange or unheard of but it is a bit frowned upon. In the last decades, which have gone from chain- smoking and indoor smoking to fitness and go- green, smokers are sometimes viewed as ignorant and inelegant. Thirty years ago smoking was acceptable in Panama and it was even expected for people to smoke a cigar while discussing a business deal, playing cards or reading the newspaper. However, in the present day it is quite different. It has been forbidden to smoke at a lot of places, either inside or outside and people may get fined if they do light a cigarette in a non-smoking area. Nearly every future-smoker tries his first cigarette while in high school and then proceeds to smoke in college, as the CDC study showed.
In FSU Panama the smoking policy is a little weak compared to the smoking policy in FSU Tallahassee. The smoking policy in FSU Tallahassee is wholly pronounced upon a decision on the University itself, meaning the state of Florida has nothing to do with it. If you visit or attend FSU Panama you will notice that a great amount of students smoke and they do it in front of the main entrance of FSU Campus. In FSU Tallahassee, they are stricter regarding smoking on campus. As a FSU student, I believe it would be a great idea to reach the staff and student council and discuss the implementation of new rules regarding smoking areas in FSU Panama.
Alonso De La Guardia, Vice Rector of University relations, has been open about his plans and opinions regarding smoking in FSU Panama Campus. Mr. De La Guardia is a former smoker and successful quitter so he is personally