By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Extending the Frontiers: Working Despite Alzheimer’s and Campus Smoking Bans
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Public Health > Extending the Frontiers: Working Despite Alzheimer’s and Campus Smoking Bans
Public Health

Extending the Frontiers: Working Despite Alzheimer’s and Campus Smoking Bans

DavidEWilliams
DavidEWilliams
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

When I was growing up in the 1970s I complained to my mother that I didn’t like cigarette smoke. She told me to get used to it because the major decisions were made in smoke-filled rooms and I wouldn’t want to be left out. Cigarette packs already had the Surgeon General’s warning on them, but we never would have anticipated the extent to which smoking would come under pressure in the ensuing 30 or 40 years. In retrospect it seems obvious that smoking doesn’t belong in offices, classrooms, or airplanes.

When I was growing up in the 1970s I complained to my mother that I didn’t like cigarette smoke. She told me to get used to it because the major decisions were made in smoke-filled rooms and I wouldn’t want to be left out. Cigarette packs already had the Surgeon General’s warning on them, but we never would have anticipated the extent to which smoking would come under pressure in the ensuing 30 or 40 years. In retrospect it seems obvious that smoking doesn’t belong in offices, classrooms, or airplanes. Once the dangers (and not just the nuisance factor) of secondhand smoke became clearer, it was also easy to understand why cigarettes could be banned from restaurants and even bars.

Now things are going a bit further as at least 500 colleges nationwide forbid smoking anywhere on campus. The University of Massachusetts Amherst and Salem State are the latest to join this trend in Massachusetts. Overall I think it’s a good idea and one that most people –including smokers– will eventually come around to supporting. In addition to curbing the hazards of secondhand smoke it helps smokers quit and avoid relapse and also prevents new smokers from taking up the habit. Still I’m not completely comfortable with the idea of banning something that’s legal. And considering how much societal norms toward smoking have shifted over the decades I do think there’s something to the argument that this move may lead to more and more top-down regulation of behaviors, leading to an overall loss of freedom and decline of personal responsibility.

Another area where change has been dramatic over time is the acceptance and mainstreaming of people with illnesses and disabilities. The latest to push the envelope is University of Tennessee basketball coach Pat Summitt, who plans to continue working despite a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. She’ll have plenty of support from her assistants and is uniquely positioned because of her winning record. Still it’s an exciting change from what one would typically expect.

More Read

Image
Person-Centered HealthCare: How Decision Aids Help Patients
15 iPhone Apps Redefining College Drinking
New Study Reaffirms the Weight of Obesity on our Health Care System
What Employers Think About Healthcare
How to Communicate with Patients When Words Won’t Work


TAGGED:Alzheimerspublic healthsmoking
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

What to Look for in IT Compliance Solutions for Health Care Providers
What to Look for in IT Compliance Solutions for Health Care Providers
Global Healthcare Policy & Law
September 24, 2025
male doctor massaging shoulders of patient
A 6-Step Guide to Physiotherapy for Sports Injuries
Therapy
September 24, 2025
Breaking Mental Health Stigma
The Importance of Breaking Mental Health Stigma in 2025
Mental Health
September 23, 2025
scientist using microscope
Considerations for Sourcing PCR Primers for your Healthcare Project
Health
September 20, 2025

You Might also Like

Cigarette Makers Sue the FDA Over New Labeling Rules

August 17, 2011
Health ReformPublic HealthWellness

When The RN Needs To Relax: Solutions To Help Nurses Manage Stress

May 20, 2019

Making Patient Experience a Priority – Infographic

March 21, 2012
Affordable care act
BusinessFinanceHealth ReformHospital AdministrationPolicy & LawPublic Health

The Trials of Progress in the Affordable Care Act

May 21, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?