The SmokingWords Campaign challenged students, faculty and staff to quit smoking for a day in observance of the 30th annual Great American Smokeout sponsored by the American Cancer Society. SmokingWords, a partner of the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living, is a campaign that promotes education about the health risks involving smoking and tobacco use at LSU and Southern University. “Twenty-five percent of LSU students smoke, which means 75 percent don’t smoke, and we want to focus on protecting the rights of that 75 percent,” said Judith Sylvester, mass communication professor and SmokingWords coordinator. SmokingWords representatives handed out information about smoking and tobacco use in Free Speech Plaza. They also asked students to sign a petition that would ban smoking on campus if approved by the University. “We want to get students more involved in campus policies and encourage other students not to smoke,” Sylvester said. Sylvester said SmokingWords plans to launch a new interactive Web site that provides college students with information about the health effects of smoking and tobacco use. Scott Scribner, geography senior, said he is trying to quit after seven years of smoking cigarettes. He said his inspiration for quitting is his neighbor who he thought would not be able to quit smoking. “If she can quit, I can too,” he said. Scribner, who formerly smoked more than one pack of Camel Lights each day, said he smokes one or two cigarettes each day. He said he supports the Smokeout. “Tobacco companies have been screwing us over for so long with this affliction,” he said. “Having one day for awareness is great. I’m glad someone is trying to help me quit.”
—–Contact Angelle Barbazon at [email protected]