Students and faculty helped the American Cancer Society celebrateits 24th annual Great American Smokeout last Thursday.
The smokeout gave many students a chance to get involved in whatStudents Taking Action Regarding Tobacco President TJ Baker describedas, a “very successful day.”
“We had an informational-freebie table in the Aztec Walkway,”Baker said. “I thought it was pretty successful. We gave away about15 anti-smoking T-shirts, two dozen frisbees, posters and postcards.We also had a free turkey raffle, to those who stopped and filled outa ticket.”
At all Brigantine Seafood Restaurant locations, patrons who threwout their cigarette packs were given a free turkey sandwich as anincentive to quit smoking.
“Every pack of cigarettes you turned in, you got a turkey sandwichfor going ‘cold turkey’,” said Tyler Martin, personnel manager at theLa Mesa Brigantine.
Both the Brigantine and START said they had a big turnout and hopeto do it again next year.
“We gave away tons of our informational brochures and packets. Iwould roughly guess about 250 people stopped by and chatted,” Bakersaid.
Martin said The Brigantine, like many restaurants in California,has a designated smoking area outside, since state law prohibitssmoking indoors.
He also said he hopes their turkey sandwich promotion will bringthem closer to their patrons.
“We want to participate with the community,” Martin said. “What wedo here is for the American Cancer Society but it brings us closer tothe San Diego community.”
Many students at San Diego State University said they thought theturkey promotion and the Great American Smokeout were beneficial.
“I think it’s a good idea,” said economics senior Melodie.* “Imean I smoke, I don’t like to say I’m a smoker just because I don’tsmoke very much. I’m definitely going to try and not smoke for a longtime,” she said.
Other students said they feel smoking is bad in general and saidthey hope the smokeout will help smokers quit.
“I think it pretty much stinks,” said economics senior JamieJackson. “I have friends that smoke, but I try not to hang aroundthem when they do.”
The American Cancer Society encouraged smokers to quit at leastone day in hopes that they will quit forever. Their goal is to cutthe number of smokers in half in the next ten years.
In 1999, 21 percent of approximately 10 million smokersparticipated in the event and six percent reported staying smoke-freefive days after the smokeout.
In 1997, the American Cancer Society reported that 48 millionadults smoked and an estimated 430,700 died in the United States fromsmoking per year from 1990-1994.
*This student wished not to give her full name.
