Hello, my name is Thomas S. and I’m a 9th grader at Arrowhead Park. This is my first year in Evolvement and hopefully the start of more to come. I got into Evolvement because I believed in the cause – many minors like myself are smoking, and it’s hard seeing teens like me ruining their health through tobacco. 

This issue can stop with schools; they have the power to go tobacco-free. I want to tell you why schools help stop young people from smoking. It’s important for schools to go tobacco-free because it can show that the school cares. With that, students may see there are people that can help. I believe the reason some minors smoke at such a young age is because they want to be accepted, it’s hard these days to fit in. That’s why most of the time, when one student asks if the other one wants a cigarette, the other student feels pressured. It doesn’t help when there’s name calling. Peer pressure makes teenagers feel like they have to  do it. Now I’m not saying that’s the case with everyone, but it definitely can be with teens struggling with anxiety, depression or even ones having trouble making friends. 

How can Schools help students during school hours? That is where 24/7 comes in. We strive for schools to be tobacco-free 24 hours-7 days a week. If we can get schools to adopt  tobacco-free policies, they can help the community by influencing them. If schools can put a stop to it, so can others; it just takes commitment. It would also make the school district look good in the eyes of other districts and encourage them to do the same. That small change can eventually affect the whole state and even the country. It all starts with your perspective of early smoking, and you could have a role in changing people’s lives and making a better environment.

1. Blog
2. Understanding Peer Pressure and the Importance of School Policy