Smart Students… Smoking?
We all know how bad for your health smoking is. We know that an anti-smoking movement has forced smokers to ‘pay up’ and retreat. Paying up in the form of some of the highest taxes on cigarettes in the world while at the same time smoking bans are in place across the country reducing the number of places smokers can commit their crime, sin, pleasure or addiction – however you want to call it.
Well at the same time, it struck me the over the weekend, just how many students are smoking. I’m not saying the majority, but as I travelled across London between LSE, KCL, UCL and the University of London’s Student Union on Malet Street it was clear that there is either of loss of communication or a lot of students are making some not-so-smart choices.
If we are to believe the research, risks and information that is heard and seen on packaging, TV, the internet, radio and from our politicians’, doctors’ and pharmacists’ mouths then surely we’d give up smoking immediately.
If this was a question of 20+ year veterans quitting smoking, then it would be a different story, however, for youth today to be picking up the pack where their parents left off is very worrying. The information is out there to prevent new recruits from getting hooked but I do wonder why some students choose to ignore the warnings. Is it that they tried to stop smoking and couldn’t or is it something more?
I spoke with one student, who happened to be a medical student, and she said, “Studying is stressful, it’s exam time and I have stress all throughout the year too. Smoking helps me relax and I think it helps me get through my studies – what could I replace it with?”
Another medical student, the girl’s friend, responded, “She should give up. Smoking is the number one preventable cause of premature death.”
He was correct and the risks range from chronic disorders, to cancer, to high blood pressure, heart disease, attack and stroke. Have you seen the adverts with smokers describing the amputations they’re had to endure as a result?
As a non-smoker this is something that I cannot understand – why in the face of so much evidence and information about the risks (as well as the cost) do so many intelligent people begin and continue to do?
Help me understand – please leave comments below.
Photo Credit: francisco_osorio
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