Event informs about tobacco’s dangers
The University of Cincinnati joined The American Cancer Society to host the 34th annual Great American Smokeout Challenge, Thursday, Nov. 19 an event designed as an encouragement to quit tobacco use.
The event challenged those who do not know how to approach quitting to give up cigarettes or chewing tobacco for 24 hours.
The Smokeout attempts to raise awareness of tobacco and nicotine’s harmful effects by offering resources and tools to help smokers quit.
The American Cancer Society provides a number of means to quit smoking, including a 24-hour Quitline and its Web site.
“Thursday’s as good a day as any to quit smoking,” said Peter Osborne, public relations director for southwest Ohio’s branch of The American Cancer Society. “I would like to see those who smoke ask themselves, ‘Do I want to quit smoking?’ And if they do want to quit, the American Cancer Society wants to show them they don’t have to go it alone.”
UC’s Wellness Center participates in the event each year. The Wellness Center set up a table on Tangeman University Center’s third floor, with questions about smoking written on a raffle wheel.
“There is always help out there when someone is ready to quit,” Osborne said.
The table also had pamphlets providing information on the risks of hookah and smokeless tobacco as well as local help resources in the Hamilton County area.
The Wellness Center put together “Quit Kits” to help those ready to quit smoking get started.
The “Quit Kit” included gum and hard candy to stunt the urge to smoke and a small plastic bag to keep money saved from not buying tobacco.
Though the Wellness Center does receive much feedback about the Smokeout, the objective of the event is to provide as much information and helpful resources as possible.
“The Smokeout is important because quitting smoking can be a touchy subject,” said Regan Johnson, program director of the Wellness Center. “People can feel threatened or uncomfortable. If someone decides to quit smoking we just want them to know that the Wellness Center
can help.”
Students were welcome to stop by the table and ask questions.
The information was refreshing to Jamie Gessendorf, a first-year journalism student.
“I thought the Smokeout was incredibly helpful and informative,” Gessendorf said. “I’m trying to quit smoking and I know how difficult it is to give up. I didn’t even know what the Smokeout was until I stopped at the table. There are just so many tips and local programs I didn’t realize how many options I had.”
By Katie Barrier | News Record
November 22, 2009
If it’s so important to the University of Cincinnati to join the Great American Smokeout then why don’t they have the same information available all year round for students to quit. They should be giving out pamphlets as well as quit kits to whoever wants them, it would do a lot more then just one day of the year does.