Should smok ban in campus - Essay Example

On the other hand opponents argue that smoking is bad not only for the individual himself but can harm the whole society. It is for this very reason that a smoking ban in campus has been implemented in many colleges and states. This essay would further revolve around the ban of smoking in campus and would provide my personal opinion regarding it. It is seen that the colleges which are implementing the ban advocate it because of its influence on the healthy environment in the campus. The authorities put forward that smoking creates an unhealthy environment which can affect individuals in a bad way and hence the bans are implemented to promote an environment in which people do not undergo suffocation.

Smoking is an act which poses severe health consequences to the human being. One of five deaths in the United States are considered to be because of smoking (American Cancer Society 2004). The health authorities believe that smoking is causing addiction all over the world and it should be stopped somehow. Campus ban is supported by individuals who believe that smoking in a public place can have a bad influence on the overall environment. Research has been carried out to find out the effect of smoking on the health of individuals who do not smoke.

Proponents of the ban put forward that smoking in campus can pose the risk of passive smoking to others and in many cases this has also lead to asthmatic attacks (National Health Survey 1994). They bring forward laws which provide every human life in this world with the right that they should not be exposed to carcinogens which would affect their health and if this ban on smoking does not take place then these individuals would be exposed to the carcinogens of cigarette (U.S Department of Health and Human Services).

They also bring forward other harms which may be caused by cigarette smoke to the society. The cigarette butts that are left behind by the smoker can be a cause of fire at many places and by imposing ban on smoking the government can ensure that these incidents are avoided (Daily Courier 2004). On the other hand the opponents of a ban on smoking in the campus have other views regarding smoking. In 2009 students of the University of Kentucky launched a campaign against the ban of smoking in the campus by smoking cigarettes openly.

The ban has been met with great resistance by the students as they believe that they have a right to smoke if they wish to do that (Cruz 2009). The students believe that by banning smoking in the campus the authorities are intervening in the personal life of the students. According to them measures to curb smoking in the campus is just costing money and this money can be used elsewhere for a better purpose. These students believe that other important aspects of the university should be rather maintained instead of wasting the money on a smoking ban.

One of the smokers Janelle Johnson from Sioux Falls was stated as saying "You could do so much more with that money. Like pave the parking lots because the parking lots suck" (Murray 2005). The students believe that they are not posing any threat to anyone when smoking in the campus as the campus does not have children which may be found in outdoor places such as restaurants. At one instance it is also found that the non smokers do not support a complete ban on the in campus smoking. One of the non smokers from St Paul was stated as say