Celebrate.’ Remember.’ Fight Back.’
Colleges Against Cancer is a Fairfield student club that promotes all three, and this month, its members want to choke lung cancer before it starts.’
College-age students may worry little about the possibility of dying from cancer, but problems such as second hand smoke loom just outside their dorm rooms.
‘I think the fact that people (have to) smoke three feet away from the building is good, because second hand smoke is dangerous,’ said Sarah Albertelli, President of Colleges Against Cancer (CAC).’ She said that although Connecticut takes smoking seriously, and has become a smoke-free state, she would like to see a campus ‘- wide focus on the dangers of smoking to a person’s health.
After all, 60 percent of lung cancers are diagnosed in people who don’t even smoke, and the number one cause of all cancer deaths is lung cancer, according to the Lung Cancer Alliance.’ ‘It’s never too late to quit,’ said Katherine Moore, a sophomore at Fairfield, ‘You don’t realize how many people’s lives you effect by not quitting.”
Moore’s father, a victim of lung cancer, died when she was a senior in high school.’ The doctors caught it too late, and he was gone in nine months.’ She and her family had begged him to stop smoking, but she said that he could only stop if he wanted to stop.’ ‘ About 30 members of CAC meet weekly, and they share similar stories.’
Michelle Brennan, Fairfield’s chair for The Great American Smokeout, which will take place on Thursday, Nov. 20, said that social smoking is a way that people who wouldn’t otherwise smoke, begin.’ She added, ‘I know drinking is a big thing on campus, and smoking increases with it.’
The Great American Smokeout occurs every year to spread awareness about the results of smoking.’ There will be tables with information on them in the Barone Campus Center, Jazzman’s Café, and the flu clinic.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
With the possibility of such consequences, why do students continue to smoke?’ Studies show the trend of social smoking is growing on campuses nationally.’ Fifty-one percent of current smokers were social smokers in a survey taken of 10,904 students at 119 different U.S. colleges by Pediatrics.’ ‘ ‘
Anthony Balzofiore, a freshman at Fairfield said, ‘A lot of people smoke when they drink because it gives them a nice buzz, but it can later lead to addiction.” ‘ Costas Constanta, another freshman at Fairfield said: ‘When kids are drunk cigs are a great dessert, but they become more addicted because of that.’
Dr. Virginia Kelly, a professor on counseling at Fairfield said, ‘I think that smoking cigarettes begins socially and somewhat casually.’ Because nicotine is so addictive, individuals frequently and quickly become addicted and then become full-fledged smokers.”
This trend is noticeable on other campuses in Connecticut.’ Laura Titrud, a junior at UConn said, ‘Personally, I don’t smoke, nor do I hang out with anyone who does so I don’t really notice smokers on campus too much.’ However, I have noticed the rate of cigarettes go up when students are at parties because of social smoking and alcohol.’
The truth remains.’ According to the American Cancer Society, The health problems associated with smoking cigarettes are endless: smoking causes lung, larynx, mouth, pharynx, esophagus, and bladder cancers.’ It is also linked to pancreatic, cervix, kidney, and stomach cancers.’ About 7 million smokers have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which is chronic bronchitis, and is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.
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