My name is Emilia C. I am a senior at Arrowhead Park Early College High School. I have been in Evolvement during all four years of high school, and this is my second year on the leadership team. During my time in Evolvement I have learned how essential it is for schools to be tobacco-free. A tobacco-free school district is a school district that does not allow any tobacco products to be used by students, staff, or visitors on campus during or after school hours. This includes parents at football games and even teachers setting up the classroom before students arrive. Tobacco-free school districts allow students to safely go to school without having to face temptations to use tobacco products.

I know that it is incredibly important for schools to be 100% tobacco-free because students are impacted by what they see every day, especially in their schools. Students look up to their peers and teachers so when they see these role models using tobacco products at school– a place where actions are monitored– tobacco use becomes normalized and is no longer seen as dangerous and harmful, but instead seen as regular or even cool. They feel justified in using tobacco products when they see that a lot of people use them and never get in trouble for it. In order to keep the harmful consequences of tobacco products out of students’ lives, we need to change policies to make schools truly 100% tobacco-free.

Tobacco-free policies impact students for their entire lives. Keeping schools completely tobacco-free allows students the time to mature more and make the conscious decision of  when and if they will use tobacco products when they are older instead of being peer pressured into making that decision before they are ready and before they fully understand the consequences of tobacco use and addiction. With a 100% tobacco- free policy, my generation of students will not have to confront peer pressure to use tobacco on a daily basis which will allow us to feel safer and less stressed at school and focus better in our classes. A tobacco- free school policy will help my generation grow up healthier and happier and will ultimately allow us to create a better future for us and a better community free of the harmful impact of tobacco addiction for us and our future families to grow up in. I know that tobacco-free policies make a substantial difference in students’ lives and I want that for my friends and family.

1. Blog
2. Why Tobacco-Free School Policies Are Important to Me