The Negative Effects of Smoking
It is no surprise in today's society that smoking is an unhealthy habit. However, students may not realize just how detrimental the habit is to one's health. According to the CDC, smoking affects almost every bodily organ, and is the cause of an outstanding 480,000 deaths each year within the United States. Furthermore, smoking is a primary cause of cancer, respiratory disease, heart disease, and many other health risks and complications. The scary part about smoking is the incredibly addictive nature of the substance. Due to the chemical referred as nicotine, an addictive nervous stimulant, many smokers struggle to quit the habit, even if they have the best intentions to abstain from smoking indefinitely. Although smoking is extremely harmful to one's well being, Penn State continues to allow students to put themselves at risk by permitting the use of smoking tobacco on campus. The university must provide increased regulation to help deter the use of this toxin in order to ensure a healthy environment for students to learn and study. Additionally, studies by the CDC have shown that over several years after quitting smoking and maintaining a nonsmoking status, your risk for developing any serious diseases is that of someone who has never smoked in the first place. If Penn State abolishes smoking on campus, they may be able to discourage the use of the drug, and even facilitate some students and faculty to relinquish the habit. Ultimately, the increased regulation and policy modification would improve the lives of student's in the long term who become dis-incentivized to smoke.