If the "ashtray" in front of Mertz Hall seems more deserted than usual on Thursday, it might be because students are choosing not to smoke in honor of the Great American Smokeout. Every year on the third Thursday in November, the American Cancer Society holds the Great American Smokeout to help smokers quit for one day in hopes they will quit forever.
Sophomore Maggie Schirack, a nonsmoker for health reasons, said smoking is more common at Loyola than it was at her high school. While most of her friends smoke, Schirack says her lips have never touched a cigarette.
"Unfortunately, smokers will smoke no matter what you say," Schirack said. "How much more aggressive can we be than by telling [smokers] that they can die?"
She said she thinks it is the temporary satisfaction that causes smokers to "ignore that [smoking] is bad for them."
Schirack speculated how much money could be raised if for one day all smokers donated the amount of money they would normally spend on cigarettes to the American Cancer Society.
"They could transfer their funds from something unproductive - smoking - to something productive - cancer research," she said.
Freshman Miro Shchurevich said he is aware of the health problems tobacco causes but continues to smoke anyway.
"[Smoking] does nothing for me," he said. "But quitting is hard."
Shchurevich began smoking when he was 13 years old and typically smokes one pack of cigarettes every two days. Yet Shchurevich said he only smokes under certain circumstances. He will not smoke at home, for example, because his parents disapprove. Also, in non-smoking areas, Shchurevich said he respects the rules and will not light up.
Awareness is important on college campuses since more than 28 percent of adults ages 18 to 24 in the United States are smokers, according to the Center for Disease Control. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States today.
"College students who smoke face other consequences such as more frequent illnesses, coughing and effects on their physical appearance like discolored teeth and bad breath," Alissa Eischens, health educator at the Wellness Center, said. "Not to mention the cost. Cigarettes in Chicago cost nearly $6 per pack!"
Here at Loyola, Eischens said, students can do a lot to discourage smoking.
"Lead by example," Eischens said. "If you don't smoke, don't start. And if you do smoke, stop!"
The Wellness Center offers smoking cessation materials and one-on-one staff assistance to students who are interested in quitting smoking , Eischens said.
Fliers will be posted on campus this week in conjunction with the Great American Smokeout to educate and encourage smokers and nonsmokers alike.
For more information, call the Wellness Center at (773) 508-2530.
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