Smoking On Campus

There hasn't been a day on campus where students haven't seen other students smoking a cigarette. You can walk around for hours and spot about a dozen people smoking, despite the fact that there are signs in literally every corner that say "Do Not Smoke". Students like to ignore the signs placed on campus.

As we were walking around campus we came across this one sign that had a box of cigarettes thrown right in front of it. Students don't seem to care about what these signs say. Keeping Miami Dade College a smoke free environment is very important. It's for our safety and well being. Around the campus you'll see students hidden in different spots just so they can smoke a cigarette. 

As you can see this student is in a smoke-free zone violating the rules MIami Dade College has put in place. Not only is he smoking on campus but is also littering filters on the floor. He has no regard for other students who may be around him. 

Walking around campus and out in the open I see a group of students just talking and having fun but one thing was different from this group of students.They were all smoking cigarettes in the picture we only see one smoking. there is a few packs of cigarettes and lighters on the table.Where were the security guards? At this moment I began to realize that MIami-Dade college was not the smoke-free place we have been lead to believe it is.

Seems that the 'Do Not Smoke" signs  didn't really work with this fellow student as he is shown smoking abroad as if he is James Dean in 'Rebel Without a Cause". As i continued my campus walk I began to wonder if some of these smokers do this as a stress reliever or just as a fashion statement.

On the last part of my eventful journey through the beautiful Kendall Campus. I stopped to snap a quick picture of a friend giving another friend a helping hand. Lighting the cigarette for his friend I found this to be such a kind gesture. Although seeing all these people smoking cigarettes its becoming more and more clear that Miami-Dade is not the smoke free place it's made out to be

Switching from class to class, I passed by the group of friends and realized all six of them were smoking. I thought it was interesting to see not just one, but six students sitting in an open area on campus. They were all smoking with no cares to be given about getting caught. After hesitating for a few moments, I walked towards their table and naturally struck up a conversation with the group. They had all finished their first class of they day and met up to have a few cigarettes and lunch before their following classes. After gaining that information, I asked if they found cigarettes to be a stress reliever, surprising all but one student said yes.

This student claims to be a chain smoker and smokes about a pack of cigarettes a day. He likes to enjoy a cigarette in between classes and within every hour on a daily basis. With the "No Smoking" policy on campus, this interrupts his daily nicotine intake. He admitted there is a mood change if  he's held from his one cigarette each hour. For a person to have such an addiction similar to Gavins, it makes it hard for one to concentrate in class and on simple tasks without fulfilling his craving.

When I was walking to my car to leave campus for the day, I overheard a concerned guy lecturing his friend while he was attempting to light his cigarette. I stopped and noticed I knew the smoker and casually got into the conversation. His friend was in the middle of the telling our mutual friend about his uncle that passed away from smoking, he claimed that he cannot stand the smell or intake of a cigarette from another person. Although irritated by the fact he would feel bad for smoking in front of his friend, he decided to wait until he was no longer near his friend to light his cigarette. It was ironic to see that he cared more about his friends opinion than the policy on the campus that he attends and the risk of getting caught.