Smoking Cessation: Public Policy

As a country there have been efforts to control the use of tobacco.  In June 2009 President Obama signed a law that allowed the FDA to have control over tobacco products. ("State of tobacco," 2009) This allows the FDA to have control over advertising and packaging of tobacco products. The FDA has already begun to use negative advertising strategies that show the harmful effects of smoking.



A federal tax on tobacco products has also been put into effect that has increased the price of cigarettes by $1.01 per pack. The tax on tobacco was put into practice to defer people from buying tobacco products because of the increase in price.  This tax is great in theory but it did not work as well as it was thought to.  Cigarettes have nicotine which is the addictive ingredient and when someone is addicted to a drug they will do anything necessary to get it even if it means paying more money. 

On a state level Illinois has put a ban on smoking in public places, much like many other states.  According to the State of Tobacco Control website Illinois received an A for smoke free air on their report card. (“State of tobacco,” 2009) By limiting the places to smoke in public there would be a decrease in smokers and this has been proven to help in the reduction of smokers and the increase in smoking cessation.

Illinois State University has a smoke free campus; this does not seem to be the case however.  When walking on the quad and sidewalks one can find hundreds of cigarette buds.  Having a smoke free campus would indeed improve the health benefits of the students and faculty but, without better enforcement of this policy calling ISU a smoke free campus does not seem right.