In recent years restaurants, night clubs, and a number of other public facilities have made the switch to smoke-free environments. Today, a number of colleges and universities are following suit. While some have banned tobacco products and smoking entirely, others have restricted smoking from all indoor facilities.
At Gainesville State College outside of Atlanta, students, faculty, and visitors are prohibited from using tobacco products anywhere on campus. The ban restricts smoking in both indoor AND outdoor facilities. Unlike JMU, You won't find students sitting outside the library taking a cigarette break or walking through campus puffing away, because it's simply not allowed. End of story. Students and staff must literally walk off campus or to their cars to smoke.
While college students may be aware of the dangers associated with smoking, some still continue to do so. Although these bans may keep college students from physically smoking on campus the question is, will they also stop these habits from occurring at home or away from campus?
According to the American Cancer Society, the prevalence of smoking in the United States is highest among college-age students, ages 18 to 24. Often referred to as "social smokers" college students sometimes pick up the habit while out partying as they casually bum cigarettes from friends. While students at Gainesville must go to greater lengths to smoke, bad habits are hard to break. These students may not be allowed to smoke on campus, but on the weekends whose stopping them? I guess my question is, will policies like these really help college-aged students stop/cut back from smoking? Or will it simply cause them to go to greater lengths to do so?
At present, JMU has restricted smoking from all facilities on campus. How would you feel if a complete ban was placed upon using tobacco products both indoors & out?
1 comment:
I came upon your blog when i just started researching my paper topic for my health psychology class and thought that was interesting that they banned smoking on the entire campus. If that happened at william & mary i think there would be a revolt. Banning it indoors and around buildings is understandable, as the smoke is gross for nonsmokers. But banning it from the entire campus just seems like the administration is trying to control the health habits of college students just a little bit too much. Most college smokers quit as soon as they're out of that environment. Those who don't quit are genetically prone to smoking. They were probably already addicted or had a high chance of getting addicted even with a campus wide ban.
anyway, thanks for getting me thinking!
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