Smoking has been a popular habit for centuries. Smoking tends to be seen as a negative action and believe it or not, there are young smokers at the University of Macao (UM). Given all the drawbacks that smoking brings, the positive side of smoking tends to be overlooked.

 

Smoking is known for having hazardous health effects. Yet, it seems there are many young smokers at UM. The school has set regulations regarding smoking areas and has designated specific areas of the school for this activity. There are various smoking areas throughout the campus. One spot is the open roof on the first floor of Building E21. Other areas include various bus stops and an area behind the University Mall.

 

It is easy to spot by the amount of cigarette butts lying around and a yellow half circle around a stainless steel bin. Young smokers are seen to gather around these areas after class or when they have a moment to spare for a cigarette. This can be during breaks from classes, breaks between classes and after students are done with a lecture.  Are all these students smoking addicts or are they there for the reason of socialization?

 

 

 

We have been lucky enough to find youngsters who were willing to open up with us on this topic as this may tend to be quite a sensitive topic for smokers.

 

Paulo Mesa, a habitual smoker and communication student said,

 

"It's interesting that not only smokers go to the smoking area, but also people who want to go out of the classroom for a breath of air while drinking their coffee/juice."

 

Another student who wanted to remain anonymous said,

 

"I'm what some people would call a social smoker. I never buy cigarettes but when my friends go for a smoke I will go with them and have a cig or two."

 

"I wouldn't consider myself a habitual smoker or addict but I like to hang out with my friends and they all smoke..."

 

According to the results of the 2017 annual survey from the Serviços de Saúde de Macau (SSM), among 551,000 people aged 15 and over in Macao, 67,300 people are currently using tobacco products, accounting for 12.20% of the population aged 15 and over; 62,700 people who use tobacco products daily which is 11.40% of the population of this age group. In the age group between 15-24 years old, it is estimated to have 1,500 male smokers and 400 female smokers, accounting for 2.9% of the young population.

 

When we asked one interviewee if he considered the potential negative health consequences of smoking he said that he was aware of the fact it was harmful but was more afraid of not fitting in with his friend group.

 

 

Perhaps the phenomenon of social smoking causes young people to begin smoking or using tobacco related products. It's clear that many students don't only use these spaces for smoking but also to socialize with classmates and friends alike; may they be smokers or not. Thus making these areas youth spaces on campus along with other areas such as E6 and Pacific Coffee for example. This type of space gives the chance for students to relax and release stress; to take a moment to forget the adversity of assignments and projects, to have a laugh with their friends.

 

 

It does not exactly promote a healthy lifestyle but it does somewhat give students the opportunity to connect more with other students and socialize. However, Mesa suggested that non-smokers could utilize the other socialization spots such as Pacific Coffee or E6 which might be better alternatives to social smoking.