Tobacco has proven to be a hazardous and dangerous substance to human beings. According to cancer.org, tobacco smoke contains thousands of chemicals — over 70 of which are considered known carcinogens.
Over 70 percent of all lung cancer patients were smokers, but the devastating effects of smoking are not limited to smokers. Smoking is the cause of various preventable diseases, and it’s up to us to take necessary precautions to reduce the number of those affected.
According to the National Cancer Institute, secondhand smoke accounts for 65,000 deaths a year. Secondhand smoke can remain in the air for hours after smoking. According to smokefree.gov, even a small amount of secondhand smoke can be harmful.
Illinois legislators have passed a series of laws to help combat this epidemic. In 2008, the Public Act was passed, preventing smoking within 15 feet of any building entrances. As of July 1, 2015, the Illinois Smoke-Free Campus Act took effect, completely banning smoking and tobacco use on Illinois state-funded college campuses. Students and faculty can now smoke only inside their cars with the windows rolled up.
Despite all of the dangers of smoking, many still choose to. A lot of people, smokers and non-smokers alike, disapprove of the smoke-free campus campaign. Many call it unfair and some even go as far as to say it’s unconstitutional. Others doubt the effectiveness of the act, saying people will smoke anyway.
I believe acts like these, although unpleasant to some, are necessary for protecting the greater student body. According to ilga.gov, while only about 21 percent of Illinois residents are smokers, secondhand smoke is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States. This makes it clear that people who claim smokers aren’t harming anyone but themselves are wrong.
Illinois campuses are suffering due to severe budget cuts; meanwhile, more than three billion tax dollars a year are being spent on direct medical expenditures for secondhand smoking. Legislators, lawmakers and university administrators have a civic duty to attempt to prevent these deaths, as well as save the state of Illinois some money.
The main goal of the act is clearly to protect the public. However, there seems to be some underlying goals as well. It doesn’t seem very convenient for smokers to trek back to distant parking lots and keep their windows rolled up every time they want to have a smoke. Some legislators are probably hoping the increased inconvenience will encourage more people to quit smoking and discourage non-smokers from picking up the habit. According to ttac.org, studies show 40 percent of smokers either began to smoke or became regular smokers in college.
Some dissenters feel they are being personally wronged and their autonomy is being taken away. Many say it unfair for the government to try to influence people to stop smoking against their will. As it turns out, most smokers do not need further encouragement to want to quit smoking. According to a 2011 Illinois Health Department press release, 70 percent of smokers already want to quit, and more than half have tried to do so without success.
It is important to protect the public, but the lives of non-smokers are not the only ones that matter. It is also important to encourage smokers to take a look at their own health. Something must be done. It is unfortunate people feel their autonomy is being taken away, but the state of Illinois must take a stand and attempt to stop preventable diseases. It would be foolish not to try.
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