Tobacco Usage on College Campuses - Research Paper Example

 Tobacco Usage on College Campuses Should Not Be Prohibited The use and production of tobacco has been greatly increased in the world throughout ‎ (Head 2). ‎There are plenty of places where tobacco is produced and supplied in areas where it is distributed and manufactured into different sources of use. Despite having many side effects and adverse impacts on health, tobacco has been one of those topics on which arguments are based. Tobacco is largely used by teenagers and college going students (Wechsler 699). They usually argue that tobacco should not be prohibited or illegal especially in colleges. There are many reasons that would support this argument and often these are given forward by the proposing groups. Firstly, it has been found out that the production and supply of tobacco has earned the government’s of many western countries much of revenues. Tobacco crops are grown in many developing countries as well and they have become the source of revenue for their economy. For other countries, the retailers and the companies have gained access to a stronger economy in which the revenue generated by the use of tobacco is largely involved. The taxes that are collected from the tobacco supply and cigarette retailers are also contributing in creating the economy stronger (Culyer 1612). In Canada, the tobacco has been set legal just because it gives the government a large share of the economy. Most of the college students argue that since tobacco is a part of the strong economy of the country and the overall tax collections, it should be allowed. Records suggest that tobacco usage is more common in teenagers and college going students, thus they argue that the usage of tobacco by these students will allow the government to collect more taxes and generate more revenue from this industry. It is held that for some other reasons, the government should not let go off the opportunity to strengthen their economy and balance of payments. It will create an advantage for the overall country. Secondly, it has been argued that tobacco is not the only element with chemicals that are harmful for the body and that kill people. There are many other chemicals that are harmful and included in other eating items or using items and they are not prohibited. If there would be no harmful elements in tobacco, there would be no reason to prohibit it or ban it. It is true that there are certain things that are not needed, but they are included in t he luxuries and the psychological effects that those addictions and chemicals can have on humans. In the debate of how many things actually cause death and how many contain harmful chemicals, there is a huge list of eateries. Thus, tobacco cannot just be prohibited because it contains certain chemicals that are life taking or dangerous to health. In that case, there are many other things including excess fattening foods that cause several diseases to the people especially youngsters, and beer which is also an element containing several harmful chemicals. And according to the research, these have also caused deaths of people and still are not prohibited. Hence, tobacco should also not be prohibited for people who want to use it as their part of life in colleges. Thirdly, the usage of tobacco and the increased number of students using it since the past decade has shown how much they have developed a norm, a trend and a psyche related to the usage of tobacco and its affects. When dealing with the students of college level, most of the times it is not about what they need and what they do not, it is about what they want to do for their own selves and what gives them the peace of mind. Since years, it has been assessed that smoking or the usage of tobacco reduced mental stress that occurs to the students at an immense pace while at college. The myth about tobacco is that it reduces mental stress. Even though there are no medical explanations or scientific proves that this is true or not, but this is a psyche that the people have developed over the years. This makes it necessary for the college students to get attracted towards it and increase the usage of it in their college lives. The students often argue that cigarette relaxes them during their exams and stressful days at college. This is also an example of peer pressure which is seen in the college students. Lastly, it is often argued that since tobacco and the use of tobacco is not illegal, everybody should have their equal rights to decide whether they want to use it or not (Head 2). Tobacco has not been declared illegal in most of the countries, though it is considered to be life taking and often warned about. Awareness campaigns are spread throughout to tell the people how harmful it is and yet people use it on their own will. As for the college students, they are considered youngsters and thus tobacco usage is prohibited. The students often argue that they are mature enough to choose their own life styles and make their own choices. The students understand what is good for them and what is not and thus according to the human rights; they should be given the freedom to make their own choices after their legal age. All sorts of warnings are often provided to the tobacco users by the manufacturers and campaigns are usually carried out through different mediums. College level students are mature enough to understand what is going on around them. Tobacco usage for them should not be prohibited and should be the decision of their own will. There are many other decisions that students are allowed to take after their legal age, so it should include this as well. Although tobacco is a legal product and can be consumed by all types of consumers, there are strong considerations given to the fact that it should be banned and in fact, declared illegal. Despite the many arguments in the favour of tobacco usage, the only one fact which can be placed as the argument against tobacco usage is the medical problems that it may cause, tobacco not only causes diseases or illnesses, in fact it causes severe life taking and long lasting impactful diseases (Elders 211). Tobacco gives rise to a wide range of health risks which include heart attacks, strokes, blindness, continuous coughs, forms of cancer including lung cancer and other lung diseases that would stick for life. Use of tobacco decreases the number of years in the lifetime by average 5-10 years. Moreover, nicotine, which is present in tobacco, is highly addictive. Addiction means that once a person is invited to use tobacco, he will get addicted to it in no time increasing the risks of lifetime diseases and health problems. The height of tobacco addictiveness can be seen by the fact that today tobacco is used by one fourth of all people, and this rate is increasing steadily. There are many young people who are loosing their lives by the excess use of tobacco in an early age. This is the most important reason why tobacco should be prohibited in colleges. However, it can be held that the arguments for and against tobacco usage has still been one without a solution. Many of the governments are trying to make the use of tobacco illegal considering the wide range of problems, whereas on the other hand, the proponents are arguing against it, and while the debate goes on, the usage is increasing day by day, minute by minute. Work Cited Culyer Anthony. Handbook of Health Economics. UK: Elsevier, 2000. Print. Elders Joycelyn. Preventing Tobacco Use Among Young People: A Report of the Surgeon General. D.C: DIANE Publishing, 1997. Print. ‎ Head Tom. Should Cigarettes be Illegal? NY: About.com, 2012. Print. ‎ Wechsler Henry. US College Students’ Use of Tobacco Products. NY: American Medical Association, 2000. Print. ‎ Read More