BSU OUTREACH PROMOTES 24 HOURS SMOKE FREE
During a particularly stressful day on campus, it is almost too easy for college students to light up a cigarette and let their worries go up in smoke.
What they may not realize, however, is that as soothing as the dose of nicotine may seem to be to the frenzied mind, it is actually wreaking havoc in many systems throughout the body.
On Thursday, November 21, Bridgewater State University Outreach Education is challenging all smokers on campus to go without smoking a cigarette for 24 hours. Within those 24 hours, according to the BSU Peer Educators, high blood pressure levels will go down, heart rates will slow down, and the person in question’s risk of developing heart disease will decrease.
The slogan, “Will You Quit Cold Turkey?” colorfully ties in the approaching holiday season with the very important process of taking strides toward leading a healthier lifestyle.
“As a former smoker, I think it’s a good idea,” said Marion King, a senior Sociology major. “Having a built-in support network of others trying to quit on the same day can be extra helpful for those who are thinking about trying to quit.”
Lorrie Jenkins, a senior Criminal Justice major, also applauds the BSU Peer Educators in their pursuit.
“I don’t smoke and I don’t like it,” said Jenkins. “I think it’s a fabulous idea. I have a mother who smokes quite a bit, and I’ve seen the toll it’s taken on her. I wish younger kids who smoke could see the toll it’s taken on my mom. I think it would help them see that quitting now would be so beneficial to their health.”
According to King, smoking cigarettes can turn out to be more than just a habit.
“It started out as a habit and became an addiction, because it’s addictive,” said King. “I didn’t know how hard it would be to quit. Of course I wish I had never started. There are no benefits; only drawbacks.”
Elizabeth Sekkes is a Comment living-arts writer. Email her at esekkes@student.bridgew.edu.
