Student group challenges smokers to ditch habit

Quitting smoking is a tough task and the Colleges Against Cancer student group wants to help Ball State University students get it done.

The group, a chapter of the American Cancer Society, is holding a Great American Smokeout event in the Atrium today.

CAC Co-President Joe Young said that the Smokeout is aimed at encouraging students to quit smoking and educating them about how to help their friends quit.

"Realistically, it is a reminder and another challenge to push people to try and start quitting smoking or help people help their friends quit," Young said. "We want to remind people that our loved ones die every day from a very preventable disease that is lung cancer."

The event, which is also sponsored by the Department of Health Education, should be interesting and beneficial to students, he said.

"Students can expect games, fundraising and challenges for smokers, like trading in their cigarettes for a prize," Young said.

Nonsmokers and smokers alike said helping people quit smoking is a great cause.

Senior political science major Devin Hillsdon-Smith said he thinks students need to have the desire to quit smoking before attending the Smokeout.

"I think the Smokeout has good intentions, but as a smoker myself, I think that for it to be a success the people who choose to go to it need to want to quit in the first place," Hillsdon-Smith said.

Sophomore architecture major Tom Martiny, a nonsmoker, said he hopes the event is able to accomplish its goal.

"I think that the Smokeout is a good idea," Martiny said, "I hope people who want to quit will take advantage of it."

Students can participate in the Smokeout today in the Atrium from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.


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