Recently, there has been a no smoking boom in South Korea. The cigarette prices went up by 2,000 won early this year. The no smoking areas have also been extended. Prohibiting smoking in internet cafes and restaurants is mandatory. This boom influenced clinics for quitting smoking to be crowded. Warning images and warning phrases will be seen on packs of cigarettes from December of next year. Stores must display the packs of cigarettes visibly. In addition, not only many cities but many organizations are actively holding no smoking campaigns.
  The students and president of Chungbuk National University declared a clean campus with no smoking on October 7th at a special stage in a small stadium of CBNU. The organizers were the student council, named Know How, and the Chungbuk No Smoking Support Center. Starting with the non-smoking campus declaration, the Chungbuk No Smoking Support Center plans to hold various programs such as visiting a non-smoking service and consulting on quitting smoking. No smoking supporters have held events such as writing pledges about quitting smoking. The purpose of the declaration of a non-smoking campus is to emphasize an ethical action. Students are expected to realize the negative aspects of smoking and to be inculcated with smoking etiquette.
  Although many people, including the university president and special guests saw the non-smoking campus declaration, the ripple effect of the declaration was small on students. Many students do not know about the declaration. Joo Eun-sik(’15, Dept. of Earth and Environmental Science) said, “I don’t know what the declaration is about. I just heard it for the first time from you, but I like this declaration since I’m a non-smoker. I have had much damage from smokers in the university.” Lee Wu-joo(president of the Student Council) said, “I acknowledge the promotion of the campaign declaration by the students, but many professors and staff members are concerned about this campaign declaration. We changed the consciousness from the top to the bottom. We will promote it with the Chungbuk No Smoking Support Center. We will install a smoking booth after considering the budget and distribute nicotine gum.”
  Many students want smoking areas to be designated because CBNU has no designated smoking areas. Jang Dong-gil(’15, Dept. of International Business) said, “I’m a smoker, but I have been a victim of passive smoking. I think we shouldn’t inflict reverse discrimination. I want to install no smoking booths in which people can smoke, and I hope no smoke cigarettes will become popular. It will make the campus pleasant.” Actually, cigarette smoke, which clouds the entrances of buildings, has damaged many students.
  Smoking causes cancers such as lung cancer, oral cancer, laryngeal cancer and esophagus cancer. Smoking also causes a reduced lifespan, headaches and failing eyesight and memory. Passive smoking has bad effects too. Even though people’s interests in health have increased and therefore smoking rates have decreased, many university students still smoke. The declaration of a non-smoking campus is an important first step despite the lack of promotion to students. Many people need to think about smoking once more through this campaign, and smokers have to consider nonsmokers and improve their smoking manners. Enforcement of detailed plans and having an interest about it will induce a happy cohabitation of smokers and non-smokers and will spur us to make a clean campus.

By Woo Hyun-gi
hg36@cbnu.ac.kr