Have you ever been walking behind someone on campus and the smoke from their cigarette knocks you right in the face? I’m sure it happens more often than not and is quite irritating, which is why I am all for Georgia Southern University being a tobacco-free campus. In fact, all campuses should be tobacco free, simply because side-stream smoke is worse than mainstream smoke and since the majority of students do not use tobacco products, they shouldn’t be essentially forced to inhale those cancer-causing agents while walking down the pedestrium.

I know that banning the use of tobacco on campus may seem a little like the university is trying to take away a students’ choice but consider this: Due to banned smoking in public places, there has been a significant decline in smoking rates among people around the world. According to the World Health Organization, in 1980, 41 percent of men around the world were smokers and by 2012, the number dropped to 31 percent. Although globally the numbers are decreasing due to public banning, 20 million Americans have died in the last 50 years from smoking and 500,000 Americans will die prematurely because of smoking. As a young, vibrant, Southern eagle that has their whole life ahead of them, I’m sure that you don’t want to be a part of that statistic nor be affected by it due to second-hand smoke.

Make a change in what you breathe or how long you live today. According to the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation there are currently 1,182 100-percent smoke-free campuses as of January 2, 2014. By the fall, Georgia Southern University needs to be number 1,183. Not only can this campus be known for its constant drive for environmental sustainability and graceful campus layout, but for it being the 21^st smoke free campus in the state of Georgia. Let’s make a change today Eagles so we can breathe better tomorrow.