‘TobaccoEdu’ needed for student population
Every student remembers begrudgingly taking AlcoholEdu, whether completing the course in several hours as USC suggests or simply within minutes of skipping through what is generally basic knowledge. The purposes of the course are to “educate students about alcohol and its effects on the mind and body ... enabling them to make healthier and safer decisions.” USC ought to require mandatory tobacco education as well if they are truly concerned about our health. Tobacco might not pose as many short-term affects as alcohol does, but its long-term effects are severely detrimental. Students need to comprehend the risks of chronic tobacco usage.
In South Carolina alone, 22 percent of adults and 21 percent of youth currently smoke cigarettes. A lower 10.7 percent of young adults use smokeless tobacco. It is widely known that tobacco use over an extended period of time can cause cancer; however, there are many more side effects accompanying the nicotine buzz. Several short-term effects include susceptibility to respiratory illness, impaired lung growth and function, and bad breath. As for long-term effects, aside from various cancers, other complications that follow are coronary heart disease and emphysema. Smokeless tobacco is associated with recession of the gums, gum disease and tooth decay.
Economic complications of tobacco usage run parallel with health problems. Smoking causes more than $193 billion each year in health-related costs. The income of tobacco users is then impacted by work absence and higher insurance premiums.
The primary agent that makes using tobacco products an enjoyable experience is the naturally occurring liquid alkaloid contained within, nicotine. Nicotine can act either as a stimulant or a sedative depending on the intake amount. It initially causes a rapid release of adrenaline, which in turn places glucose into the blood and blocks insulin release. It also encourages production of dopamine in the brain, re-enforcing the drive to continue nicotine usage.
Tobacco has been used for hundreds of years, however, tobacco companies have engineered tobacco products that are much more addictive and subsequently, much more dangerous. There are 599 reported additives that function from improving nicotine delivery to masking odors, harshness and flavor. The burning of all of these chemicals produces over 4,000 chemical compounds.
USC provides tobacco cessation programs that provide counseling and medical consultation. However, USC should educate students on the dangers of tobacco use up front rather than students seeking help when their health has declined because of tobacco use. Over 443,000 Americans (6,100 from South Carolina) die each year because of tobacco use, easily making it one of the most preventable causes of death.