Smoking at Harvard

Smoking has long been a source of contention among many Americans, but lately anti-smoking campaigns have made serious progress throughout the country. By one count, 3,270 municipalities have some ban against smoking, and cities like Cambridge have recently investigated banning smoking in public places. More than 365 colleges nationwide have joined this trend by banning smoking both indoors and out. Harvard has tentatively followed by prohibiting smoking in all areas of upperclass Houses and freshman dormitories and within 25 feet of any university buildings.
How strictly Harvard enforces its smoking bans is up for debate, but it is not surprising to see a group of smokers huddled together in the Yard or outside a House on a given night. Such scenes support the idea that smoking at Harvard is typically a social practice, as appears to have been the case more than 10 years ago.  However, given Harvard’s highly competitive and highly stressful environment, one must wonder if students are driven to smoking for more troubling reasons. As the backlash against smoking gains momentum, the Harvard community must better understand why Harvard students decide to start smoking and why they persistently continue on throughout their college years. In seeking these answers, anti-smoking advocates at Harvard must not fall into the habit of ostracizing or judging smokers. Rather, a push must be made to establish and publicize resources to prevent high-risk students from falling into smoking habits and to proactively helping smokers who want to quit.
Last spring, the Tobacco Control Policy Group, a subgroup of the Institute of Politics, conducted a survey to better understand smoking habits among Harvard College students. Out of the 462 students who responded, 10% admitted to currently being smokers. These results were actually lower than the national average derived from the National College Health Assessment during the spring of 2010. That assessment found that16% of those college students who responded had smoked cigarettes in the last 30 days from the time they were surveyed.
Though it is reassuring that Harvard’s smoking average is less than the national average, the survey’s results hinted at other trends that are perhaps more troubling, if not entirely surprising. About 64% of the respondents indicated that they have friends who currently smoke and about 53% of students have family members who smoke or have smoked. People are more likely to smoke if they are surrounded by friends or acquaintances who smoke.
The Tobacco Control Group’s survey also found that the majority of Harvard smokers began smoking when they were 17 or 18, right around the age when most reached college. The social pressures, combined with Harvard’s stressful environment, are enough to drive many students to smoking, especially if many regard it as a socially acceptable outlet for stress.
To properly address smoking issues on campus, and to support those students who need it, Harvard needs to focus on publicizing already existing smoking cessation resources and look into establishing prevention programs. Harvard University Health Services already has a Smoking Cessation Program and other smoking resources for those who are looking to quit. Though the existence of these resources is commendable, smokers would likely benefit more from such resources if they were more widely advertised. Alcohol and sexual health resources are widely available and advertised throughout campus and there is no reason why tobacco support should not receive the same attention.
Furthermore, incoming freshman receive a lot of information regarding alcohol and sexual health resources during their first week on campus. A similar program about tobacco and smoking related issues could also be instituted. Such a program would not necessarily deal with the dangers of smoking, as most students are likely to be aware of those risks. Rather, freshmen should be aware of healthier ways to deal with stress before they turn to smoking. Likewise, freshmen who already smoke would benefit from knowing of the preexisting smoking cessation resources available to them should they choose to quit.
To be sure, the majority of smokers are likely aware of the risks and dangers associated with smoking. About 66% of surveyed students indicated they have taken a class or program on the dangers of smoking, such as D.A.R.E.. These students are within their rights to continue to smoke at Harvard, where appropriate. The stigma surrounding smoking needs to be reduced so that smokers who want to quit feel more comfortable and less judged when they come forward.
A campus-wide smoking ban, though ideal for some, would also do little to help Harvard smokers. Rather, a first concrete step should be to ensure that current smoking prohibitions are strictly enforced. Other efforts should also focus on creating a strong support structure to help smokers quit if they choose to and to prevent at-risk students from falling into the habit. As the Tobacco Policy Group’s survey indicated, many Harvard students are acquainted with smokers and it is easy to consider smoking a stress-reliever when surrounded by other smokers.
The Tobacco Policy Group’s survey may have revealed that the majority of Harvard students do not smoke, but this does not indicate that smoking is not a serious campus issue. Harvard’s social pressures and stressful environment likely perpetuate smoking habits. Focusing on prevention and proactive solutions to helping smokers kick the habit is sure to be a challenge, but it is a more viable solution than simply outlawing smoking or ostracizing smokers. Smoking education should not take on a didactic tone, but instead focus on better understanding why Harvard students turn to smoking and looking into viable solutions to helping them quit.
Editor’s Note: The Tobacco Policy Group is a subgroup of the Institute of Politics at Harvard. It has been studying tobacco policy throughout the course of this term, and the HPR is pleased to publish its findings.
Photo Credit: Flickr (Chuckumentary)