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School officials’ planned tobacco ban is good news
Although action was postponed at Monday’s meeting, Jackson County School Board members appear to be on track to approve a ban on all tobacco products on school grounds.
In our opinion, such action can’t come soon enough.
Already 71 of North Carolina’s 115 school systems have a tobacco-free policy, and it’s time Jackson County joined with the majority.
The ban would apply to students, employees and visitors on school grounds, including those attending athletic and other extracurricular activities. Smokeless tobacco is included in the ban.
We’re long past the days of debating whether tobacco use causes health-related problems. Furthermore, second-hand smoke has also been shown to be harmful to one’s health, not to mention just being plain irritating.
Student smoking was prohibited on campus several years ago, although teachers and staff were allowed to continue to use tobacco products in an outdoor area out of sight of students.
One of the best things about the ban is that it would mean no more smoke drifting through the air while watching a football game on a cool, crisp Friday night or holding your breath while walking through a pack of smokers when entering the gym for a basketball game.
Some will argue the real focus should be on keeping students from smoking, not on controlling the vices of adults. To that we say, “Remember the impact your actions may have on students.” At a time in their lives when they are perhaps most impressionable, students shouldn’t come to a place of learning and be exposed to tobacco. According to an anti-smoking Web site, www.thetruth.com, which is part of a nationwide stop-smoking campaign, 3,900 young people smoke their first cigarette every day, and 1,500 of those become daily smokers. For those who take up the habit, the statistics are grim. About one third of those young people will be among the 1,200 people in the United States who die each day of tobacco-related illnesses.
Kicking the habit won’t be easy for faculty and staff members who smoke. Fortunately, school officials have proposed offering support to school personnel who want to quit using tobacco products. We applaud the offer and hope it will be accepted by many.
We look forward to school officials adopting a well thought-out policy at their next meeting. It will be a step in the right direction for the sake of our children’s health, and the health of all Jackson County residents.
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