By LaQuanda McNeil
Staff Writer
Cal State Dominguez Hills banned smoking and electronic smoking devices on campus Sept. 1.
CSUDH is not the only campus that has decided to ban smoking. All other California State Universities are enforcing the same rule ordered by the chancellor.
An Aug. 30 directive prohibits smoking any tobacco product inside a public building or in a nearby outdoor area. Universities can collect fees from students who are in violation of the new smoking bill, though CSUDH plans to start by educating smokers instead of punishing them.
The new ban at CSUDH is an effort to create a healthier environment for students. Students who prefer not to smoke should not be exposed to cancers and diseases at the discretion of others.
Secondhand smoke, as we all know, can lead to cancer and lung and heart diseases. Smoking on campus can also affect students who have asthma. The substances in tobacco can provoke an asthma attack.
Preventing smoking is the key to a healthy campus community. Beyond health, the prices on tobacco products are sky high. A pack of name-brand cigarettes in Los Angeles, for example, is typically $7. That adds up at a pack a day.
If students save the money that they spend on vape and tobacco products, they could save thousands of dollars per year — not to mention their health.
The thousands of dollars that students could save per year on tobacco products could go towards their educational costs. As a student you can do your part to make our campus a healthier environment by smoking off campus or not smoking at all.
