Breaking the habit: why smoking cessation is important for a healthy campus community

Desiree Fernandes, Savannah Hill, Abbigail Pelletier, Jonairy Ramirez, Kimberly Romero, Julia Serra, Stephanie Talbot, Soua Tou Vang 

Anchor Contributors

The following piece was an assignment co-authored by RIC nursing seniors belonging to the Public/Community Health Nursing Clinical Group. 

Despite decades of public health campaigns and clear scientific evidence, smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable death worldwide. Millions of people continue to light cigarettes every day — not because they are unaware of the risks but because quitting nicotine is far more complex than simply deciding. Smoking cessation is not merely a personal responsibility; it is a public health imperative that demands stronger societal support. 

Due to the rise of e-cigarettes and vapes, many younger adults tend to lean on these products more than traditional cigarettes. Although one may think that it is safer to smoke e-cigarettes with the term “vaping” making it seem as though it is water vapor, these products still carry nicotine and many other toxic chemicals that are not only bad to the smoker themselves but to the health of others around them. 

Secondhand smoke, a combination of smoke that originates from a cigarette and smoke breathed in by a user, has also had a noticeable impact on those in public. People who have never smoked can still develop asthma, respiratory infections, heart disease, and lung cancer simply from repeated exposure. Nonetheless, its harmful effects can be prevented by having the smoker quit smoking/vaping.

Is quitting smoking hard? It depends on the individual, but generally, it is hard. There are many factors that can act as obstacles to those wanting to quit; tThe addictive elements of nicotine changes brain chemistry, making cessation a medical and psychological challenge rather than a simple act of willpower. 

Many smokers/vapers want to quit but lack access to counseling, medications, or structured support systems. Withdrawal symptoms may also be a problem to those in the process of quitting, having possible symptoms of intense cravings, insomnia or irritability from weeks after cessation. Treating tobacco dependence as a health condition — not a moral failing — is essential to meaningful progress.