To have smoking policies set up on campus is a very important thing in the education system. This is because the smoking policies will enable students to be aware of the impacts of early smoking especially when one happens to be on campus. Implementation of the policies will make curbing the issue of smoking on campuses much easier.
According to the statistics carried out by the Medline Plus , it shows that, the highest percentage of smokers are age between 21-34 which represented a percentage of 30%, of which, such age groups are normally in colleges hence reducing their lifespan. Apart from reducing their lifespan, academically, the students grades have also been affected through lack of concentration in classes and time spent while smoking. Apart from the studies being affected, their health is also at stake; hence the number of students dying because of the consequences of smoking is constantly increasing. Such kind of behavior in schools has raised an alarm among teachers, parents, guardians and the nation at large, so they are trying to look for ways of controlling such behaviors.
-
0
Preparing Orders
-
0
Active Writers
-
0%
Positive Feedback
-
0
Support Agents
The mentioned reasons caused the need for smoking policies on campuses to be implemented. However, some of the factors which have largely contributed to this campus smoking are, the social surrounding, and economic constraints. In formulating the policies, such factors should be given a major consideration. However, some of the reasons associated with the listed factors are the influence or examples of people close to them. Those people are the parents, relatives and guardians who have the habit of frequent smoking. Low socioeconomic level can also trigger one into smoking; peer influence from those who smoke can also be the cause; having low esteem in the learning environment can be a major concern; the reasons are numerous.
With all these factors taken into consideration, it will be much easier to come up with the policies that will be able to guide those students who smoke on campuses or colleges. What needs to be noted is thatthere are some issues such as beliefs which make students start smoking. These beliefs are generally wrong. They believe that when they smoke all the anxiety that has been controlling their lives will be done away. Others, especially female students, believe that when one smokes, the likelihood of reducing weight or at least managing the weight is much higher. Those views can cause students become interested in smoking.
With this kind of behavior that is gaining in popularity, it is highly recommended that several organizations in the country should team up and come up with policies that are meant to guide, control and prevent the young people in colleges from those behaviors of smoking. Not only the organizations but the government needs to get involved in the public education campaigns against smoking in schools. This will turn out to be a motivating factor among the youths in colleges who engage themselves in such behaviors.
Some of the smoking policies that need to be implemented in the school should be able to cater for all the negative aspects in life concerning smoking. This can be done by educating those who are the victims and the those who are not affected. This will minimize the number of those who might be influenced into smoking. Some of the things that need to be included into the smoking policies in the campus set-up are the smoking health programs. These programs should focus on educating students on how to avoid smoking and the implications of smoking. If the smoking policy is fully implemented, the likelihood of a non-smoking college environment would have been achieved. Purchasing and selling the cigarettes or tobacco products within or near the school buildings should be abolished unless it is 40 feet from the school area. Advertisements of smoking companies that involve the young people’s pictures should also be banned. This is because most of the smoking companies focus on the future of their products and the target is always on the future generation, thus encouraging young people especially those in colleges to get into the smoking behavior.
In conclusion, it is important to note that some of the above-mentioned beliefs are completely wrong. It is easier for one to get influenced into smoking by following the said beliefs. The moment you as a person involve yourself into smoking, quitting becomes an enormous problem since you become addictive. Alcohol cannot be compared with smoking since it is easier to go off alcohol than to give up smoking. From the point of view of health protection, smoking can affect one’s health by increasing the high chances of getting lung cancer, heart diseases and can also cause a stroke. It is, therefore, very important that if one is a heavy smoker in school, the earlier he drops the better. This is because if one leaves off smoking, the chances of getting infected with diseases related to smoking are minimal. If giving up this habit is such a problem, then it is necessary to seek help from the school administration, the doctors and even the pharmacist who will be able to give you advice on that. If you are an excessive smoker, then take an academic leave and visit a rehabilitation center for smokers where the problem will be solved.