We are moving into an era where good health is the most important part of one’s life and Pierce should no longer have designated smoking sections on campus.
Pierce has only two smoking sections on campus, which are in Parking Lot 1 and Lot 7, according to its Smoke and Tobacco-Free College Regulation. Some students still smoke near building despite this regulation largely because no one wants to walk to those ends of the school.
An easy option would be to wait until you get home, but some still smoke in the Botanical Garden, as I usually see, when authorities aren’t looking. This campus is considered a smoke-free campus despite the designated smoking areas. It’s no longer a necessity.
I understand that most people find it hard to take a break from smoking but it’s just like any campus. Smoking isn’t permitted because it’s the law of the school. Our school should follow the same guidelines as any other school across the country that’s smoking-free.
We can also teach students not to smoke by not having a designated smoking area. When we can show that smoking is not tolerated in a school environment, it transfers onto the work environment where smoking is not permitted.
When a person is looking for a job, most employers ask for a drug test and it won’t look good if a person smoke cigarettes either. So starting with educational environments, such as Pierce, it gives a good model for the work environment.
A student may see if a college won’t allow smoking, then they might see that an employer will make it harder for them to even take a smoking break. An employer will see it as unprofessional. And when it comes to it, the employer will choose between a non-smoker and a smoker, they will more likely hire the non-smoker.
It also boils down to health issues, not only for the student who is smoking but also for students around them while they are smoking. Students smoking in the closest area, which is Lot 7, affect the students walking to and from school and also students in the tennis court area.
Secondhand smoke is a real problem and still is a dangerous problem within the world. It still causes lung cancer for the smoker and potentially the people around them.
California is on the verge of passing a new law that will raise the smoking age from 18 to 21. This state has highest population of citizens in the United States and this new ordinance will affect many high school seniors and college students if it is passed by the governor.
Sooner or later, smoking will cease to exist and will no longer be considered a trend. Pierce should lead the way and no longer offer a designated smoking.