Students at West Virginia University turn to smoking cigarettes to reduce stress.
Outside of lecture halls around campus, students mill about, talking on their cell phones or sending a quick text message between classes. They are weighed down by heavy backpacks and even heavier work loads as finals approach at West Virginia University. Many are also lighting up cigarettes, taking a few moments out of their busy schedules to relieve some stress by inhaling over 4,000 chemicals with each slow drag.
In spite of the well-known health risks caused by smoking, some students at WVU continue to light up. While many started smoking to fit in, most say that stress causes them to continue to smoke.
According to the American Cancer Society website, 43 million American adults smoke. As of 2007, cigarette smoking was linked to nearly one in every five deaths. The chemicals in cigarettes are known causes of heart disease, emphysema, lung disease and several types of cancer.
While most smokers cite curiosity or the desire to fit in with friends as the reason that they started to smoke, stress causes them to continue smoking. College life promotes both of these causes of smoking as students try new things and submit to peer pressure. The pressure to achieve in school and maintain a social life while away from family creates stress that makes quitting difficult for many smokers on campus.
“I smoke due to stress, especially during finals,” says Matthew Woodring, a general studies major at WVU. “It’s too much stress to consider quitting smoking right now.”
Smoking, while used to relieve stress, only temporarily relaxes the smoker and actually promotes higher stress levels in the long run. According to “Smoking, Stress, and Mood”, a publication presented by The American Cancer Society, chemicals in cigarettes cause the brain to release neurotransmitters that promote a brief sensation of relaxation. Nicotine, a stimulant, gives smokers a brief boost. It also temporarily relieves nicotine cravings.
Smoking cigarettes also gives smokers a chance to take a break from stressful situations. The urge to get away for a few moments and socialize with other smokers makes giving up the habit difficult.
Overall, smoking causes higher levels of stress in smokers. Smokers experience fluctuations in mood throughout at the day as they deal with cravings between cigarettes. This fluctuation of mood increases overall stress. A study conducted by the American Psychological Association points out that once a person quits smoking, their stress levels will either return to normal or decrease. Quitting has never been found to increase a person’s stress level once they achieve their goal and maintain abstinence from smoking.
Loretta Dennis, owner of a local Smoker Friendly tobacco store, says stress is the main reason she and her customers continue the deadly habit. Even the recent economic downturn has not made a noticeable difference in the amount of smokers who buy cigarettes.
“At first, we had fewer customers, but they came back saying life is too stressful to face quitting cigarettes. They switched to cheaper brands in some cases so they could continue to smoke,” says Dennis.
Dennis knows firsthand how difficult it is to quit smoking cigarettes. A smoker for over ten years, the business owner and mother of four small children has been unable to give up the habit.
“I have four small children and work full-time,” she says. “Now that’s stress. I’ve tried a million times before, and just like my customers, I keep going back to smoking to get through a hectic day.”
Not all students are concerned with giving up smoking. Elise Campbell, criminology major at WVU, says that she smokes due to stress, but has not experienced stress caused by choosing to quit.
“I’m not sure why I started smoking. I definitely smoke more during finals because it’s so stressful. It isn’t stressful to consider quitting personally because I honestly have no desire to quit yet,” says Campbell.
For those who are interested in giving up cigarettes, the West Virginia Quit Line offers helps. Smokers can visit the Quit Line website or call a toll-free number for assistance. The Quite Line offers individual coaching as well as information on pharmaceutical support and other alternatives to smoking. Those interested in the free service can also call the Quit Line at 1-877-966-8784.
Despite the overwhelming amount of information pointing to cigarette smoking as the cause of several fatal diseases, students and other adults continue to smoke. However, one can be certain that they will never have to face the stress of giving up the deadly habit if they simply do not start smoking in the first place.
Edited by Travis Crum
