Local community colleges have implemented strict rules as it relates to some of the unhealthy habits students have while at school. One of the unhealthiest and widely participated in practice among students is smoking on campus. More and more colleges, not only in the Bay Area but also across the country, have taken different approaches to dealing with the smoking issue.
Why is smoking such an issue?
Second hand smoke is has a mixture of 2 forms of smoke that come from burning tobacco. These two forms include “sidestream smoke” and “mainstream smoke.” Most people think that second hand smoke is simply second hand smoke and there’s not much to it. But, in actuality, sidestream smoke has higher concentrations of carcinogens (what causes cancer) than mainstream smoke. Sidestream smoke is what comes out of a lighted cigarette or cigar.
When non-smokers are exposed to second hand smoke it is referred to as passive smoking. Imagine sitting in a class and a group of students smoking outside of the classroom expose non-smokers in the class with second hand smoke. This second hand smoke then takes the nicotine and other toxic chemicals and embeds them into the lungs of students in the classroom. The more secondhand smoke you are exposed to, the higher the level of these harmful chemicals in your body.
According to Cancer.org, Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemical compounds. More than 60 of these are known or suspected to cause cancer.
As you can see, this is a big issue that campuses are taking very seriously. For example, Skyline College has implemented a “smoke free” campus policy where designated areas are assigned for smokers to get their cig time in. This has had a positive response from students and faculty that would often times inhale the smoke that would come from the occasional passer by.
Cigarette alternatives
A popular trend in recent times have been the use of e cigarettes. The popularity has stemmed, not only from limited smoking areas but also from tax increases on regular cigarettes. People are now searching for electronic cigarette coupons to purchase these e cigarettes. This may be a good option for those students considering stop smoking. The process takes smokers through the motions of the habit, but leaves out the nicotine. There is still much research that needs to be conducted, but you can take a look at sites such as Cigreviews to stay informed.
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