Britt Fairchild / Features Writer | Posted: Friday, November 19, 2004 12:00 am
Smokers who quit for one day increase their chances of quitting for good.
That/s the message organizers of Hancock College/s Great American Smokeout hope to help get across campus today.
Today is the American Cancer Society/s 28th Great American Smokeout, an annual, nationwide event offering public encouragement and support for people who commit to quit smoking for 24 hours.
Locally, Hancock has participated in the event for a number of years, helping educate students and staff about smoking and motivate them to stop.
"(We want them to see) that if they can quit for the day, quitting is possible," said Diane Glaser, coordinator of AHC/s student health center.
The event is held each year on the Thursday before Thanksgiving to encourage people to start thinking about giving up the habit before the holidays 77 which are oftentimes busy, hectic and stressful 77 begin.
"We really don/t recommend they start during the holidays, because they/re not going to be as successful," Glaser said.
Today/s event is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the student center in building G.
Glaser and other health center workers will be on hand to answer questions and give out information, including about the college/s smoking cessation class, which is open to all registered students.
Students who agree to quit for the day will receive a goodie bag filled with mints, gum, smoking information and other items. Small prizes will also be handed out.
Along with those agreeing to quit, Glaser said the event in years past has attracted many nonsmokers wanting to know how they could help friends and family members try to kick the habit.
The Smokeout will also give health center staff the chance to survey students on a recent campus change that not everyone might be aware of.
"We have become a smoke-free campus," said Glaser, noting that since the start of the school year in August, smokers are required to use the areas around campus that are designated for smoking.
Glaser noted that becoming a smoke-free campus is the result of a student survey taken two years ago.
"Eighty percent of students supported a smoke-free campus," Glaser said.
At least 10 of the smoking sites, located 20 ft. away from all doors and windows, have been set up in areas frequented by students. Other sites have been placed around campus for employee use. Two have also been set up on the school/s south campus on Stowell Road.
State law requires all smoking sites be located at least 20 ft. away from all operable doors and windows.
The new areas help keep cigarette smoke away from people walking in and out of buildings who might not want to breathe it in, said AHC student Katie Peddie, who has a special job as a health center worker.
Between 9 a.m. and about noon each day, Peddie roams the campus during class breaks to make sure smokers are using the proper areas.
If they are, she/ll go up to the smokers and introduce herself, thank them for following the rules, and give them a bottle of water in appreciation.
If they aren/t, she/ll introduce herself, ask the smokers if they know about the designated areas, and then point them to the nearest one. She carries a map around with her so that she can show the smokers where the different smoking locations are.
"I make sure everyone is using the designated areas," she said.
So far, Peddie said, smokers seem to know where to go to smoke and are OK with doing so. Only a couple of smokers, she added, have not known where the designated areas are.
While they give smokers a place to go away from those who don/t smoke, Peddie noted the designated areas are also meant to help decrease smoking among smokers because it takes more of an effort to go to a designated area instead of lighting up wherever they are.
Another benefit of having designated areas:
"It just makes the campus a little cleaner," Peddie added.
"She/s doing a fabulous job," Glaser said of Peddie/s efforts.
For students who are ready to quit, but need more individual support, AHC/s smoking cessation class 77 which offers one-on-one counseling 77 is available.
Students can attend alone, bring a friend who also desires to quit, or bring someone for moral support.
Eight counseling sessions, with the third session being the quit date, are included in the ,15 fee.
Students who complete all sessions will get their money refunded, Glaser said.
"About one-third do quit," Glaser said of the class success rate. About the same amount drop out or reduce their tobacco use. "Which is still a success," she added.
For more information about today/s event or the smoking cessation program, phone the health center at 922-6966, Ext. 3212.
* Staff Writer Britt Fairchild can be reached at 739-2220 or by e-mail at bfairchild@pulitzer.net.
Nov. 18, 2004