Sunday, December 14, 2014

SMOKING ON NOVA CAMPUS IS NOT COOL

Everyone in America reserves the right do whatever he or she prefers, so far as it does not hurt others. Smoking cigarette is something people do in public all the time because they consider it as not hurtful to others. This has gone viral in the American society and it is happening on school campuses. I am considering NOVA because that is where I have experienced it so far. A school is supposed to be an institution where people learn new things and advance their knowledge. We do not only go to school to study books but to become better individuals in our respective communities. Despite this, campus is where people take things for granted and do unnecessary stuff. The outer part of the cafeteria is always a place where I like to sit and relax for the time between my classes. Sitting at the place gets horrible sometimes. Fellow students just sit there and smoke unstoppably. Some even come and sit beside you to do it. They only think about the silly pleasure they get from smoking but not the health of themselves and the people around them. These smokers do not consider the fact that people may be asthmatic patients and smoking around them will cause a rise in their disease. It is just too bad and annoying to watch them do this. The gibberish part of it is that posters are there saying "NO SMOKING." It looks like they can not read despite the fact that they are students. I am not against their smoking but I am against it on the school campus because it affects our health and infringe on our comfort. The law enforcement within the school has to make sure the "No Smoking" policy is ensured because school is not meant for that.

Clement Aboagye Boateng
English 111 Section 034A

5 comments:

  1. I agree with you 120%, I don't have anything against smokers but i do get pretty annoyed when they smoked in restricted areas around the campus. Another reason why i don't like is because there are two types of second hand smoking. Mainstream smoke and sidestream smoke, mainstream smoke is the smoke exhaled by the exhaler while sidestream smoke is smoke from the lighted end of an cigarette , cigar, pipe etc. Sidestream smoke is more dangerous than mainstream smoke since it has a higher concentration of cancer causing agents and its more toxic. Therefore it's not just bad for people with asthma but for anyone, which is why i think nova should have the law enforcement enforce heavily on the restricted areas for the benefits of a better environment in nova.
    Anthony N
    English 111
    Section 0034

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  2. Dear Clement,

    You are absolutely right my friend. I agree with you in part because I am not a smoker and also find it annoying at times. All of my friends who do smoke though, I have no problem with. That is because they are responsible and do it in the designated smoking areas. Also my friends, like most people, understand that it may make others uncomfortable and don't smoke around those who prefer not to smell like it. Now I have no vendetta against those who have the habit. But its those certain people that smoke in the middle of the "no smoking" areas and do it with no regard for others around them, that really irritate me. I hate the smell of it on my clothes and if someone blows it in my face, we're gonna have a problem.

    I. Grant
    ENG 111 section 20
    Monday and Wednesday

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  3. I agree with what you said; smoking in the school is completely not cool. Not only it is against school regulations, but it is also disrespectful. However, I don’t think students smoke because they can’t read the sign that says “NO SMOKING” nor because they don’t care about their health. Addiction is a serious problem, and once the students are addicted to smoking, it is difficult for them to stop unless they get professional help. The “NO SMOKING” sign would be successfully enforced if the school sets up a program that would help students quit smoking.

    Meron T
    English 111 Section 034A

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  4. Smoking on campus has become an issue that i have seen many times. While walking from one lass to another, I have witnessed multiple instances where a student will be walking through the halls and smoking an e-cigarette. I do not have a personal problem with people smoking, but I do have an issue with people who chose to disregard others health issues and decide to smoke on non-smoking territories. There is a time and place where smoker have the right to light up a cigarette and have that time for themselves but the inside of a college campus is not one of them. There have been times where I would open the doors to leave the school building and would immediately be attacked with the strong scent of smoke. There are rules and signs in place around the campus giving students and area away from the doors and away from non-smokers which some students seem to ignore. I hope students can start taking more responsibility for their actions and realize that second hand smoking is a serious issue and to be more respectful of non-smokers on campus

    S.Benyahya
    English 111(020A)

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  5. I'm a student and a smoker. Regarding my smoking damaging my own health, that's my business and no one else's. Regarding second hand smoke, I stay in the designated smoking areas nine times out of ten. I never smoke near a door or near other people who are not smoking. When you say you don't think smoking on campus should be allowed, you mean outside of designated smoking areas, which I agree with. However, I infer from context in your post that you probably think it should be banned altogether. That would be unfair to those of us who are addicted to a substance and cannot go through a ten hour school day without smoking. Should we have to walk off campus in the dead of winter when its raining? Again, I agree with your thesis. I have seen people puffing on their E-cigs INSIDE and other such violations gone unchecked. You're right, that's totally unacceptable.
    Now, a full out ban on college campuses would have to be enforced at the state level. NOVA has no authority, as a state funded school, to ban smoking altogether. Furthermore, increased restrictions on smoking have an economic impact to consider, as tax on tobacco products is a huge source of revenue for state government. Bottom line, and to your point, the smoking rules currently in effect should be better enforced. But, once again, funding is an issue. The security force at NOVA is Alexandria PD. They have maybe three officers on campus at a time... four maybe? More security costs more money. I would propose that non-security NOVA staff should enforce the rules as best as they can and be more diligent in doing so.

    -- P.J. Wordsmith

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