Smoke-Free College Campuses: Why We Need to Fight For Them Today

College is always an interesting time in a young person’s life. There is a significant change in the surrounding and the amount of freedom that one can get can be pretty great. One of the troubles about college is that freedoms can be at times too liberal like the consumption of alcohol or the presence of smoking within the campus.

College is the time when young adults eventually grow into functioning adults—this is also the time and place where habits (both good and bad) are eventually formed and crystallized. So with that premise in mind, let’s take a look at why we need to fight for smoke-free college campuses.

Healthier Students

College is always the time for experimentation and balance. Students need to balance their lessons, deadlines, having a social life, and building their own other habits. At times to cope with the stress of it all, students turn to alcohol and smoking. This ultimately robs them of the chance to build better and healthier ways to deal with stress.

Making a campus smoke-free will give the students a stronger opportunity to become healthier individuals. They get to build better habits that will serve them well when they go out into the “real world” of adults and the workforce. Having a smoke-free campus will significantly lessen the number of students and professors that will exhibit  the negative side effects of firsthand and secondhand smoke.

Sets Stronger Precedents for Smoke-Free Environments

When a respectable institution like a college takes a stand about having a smoke-free environment, it sends a really strong message about the desire for other places like it. Colleges have nothing to lose and everything to gain when it comes to promoting healthier environments for their students.

If this is something that can be established, what is stopping cities and neighborhoods and work spaces from becoming 100% smoke-free as well? When there are more establishments that are willing to take a stand about smoking and protecting their people from exposure, we raise the bar regarding the need for wholly smoke-free public places.

Always Remember

Change does not occur until you make it happen. There are at least over 1000 college campuses that have chosen to go smoke-free. This is a trend that has benefited not only the students. This is something that greatly benefits the professors and the institution itself. By taking a stand today, you inch your campus closer and closer to adopting a full smoke-free policy.

What do you think we need to fight for smoke-free college campuses today?

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