Karina Gonzalez
With worrying about school, work and family, trying to stay healthy is no easy task for college students, but not smoking is a definite way to stay on that path.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention one out of every four people smokes.
Smoking kills more Americans than alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide and illegal drugs combined. If this doesn’t make you want to check out this vaporizer wholesale website to find a way of giving up this bad habit, then I don’t know what would. As your health should be your main priority, it would be in your best interest to make this positive change. You can do so by talking to your doctor about the changes you would like to make. Some doctors may prescribe medication similar to wellbutrin xl that could be helpful with you trying to quit.
With 440,000 people dying of cancer caused by smoking each year in the U.S., students are urged to not smoke.
“I absolutely recommend students to not smoke,” said ballet instructor Carola de la Rocha. “There is no reason to be putting toxicants in their body; there is enough in the air and what they eat.”
Rocha said she knew two ballet dancers who smoked and died of cancer.
“You can look good and still die of lung cancer,” said physical education instructor Heather Eubanks.
“I think everybody knows someone who has died of some kind of cancer caused by smoking,” said Eubanks.
Sina Edalat 22, a weight training student tried smoking but didn’t like it.
“If I smoked, I wouldn’t be able to accomplish as much and my stamina would not be the same.”
“The smell is the most annoying thing about smoking,” said Lu Dao 25, also a weight training student.
Beth Benne, director of the Student Health Center, said help is available for students who want to stop smoking.
“You have to start with the desire to quit and that we cannot manufacture,” said Benne.
A combination of support, distraction and, when needed, the gradual decrease of nicotine, helps someone stop smoking, said Benne.
“It depends on what the distraction in their life is,” she said.
“A lot of people miss just having something in their mouth.”
Benne said she does not have a health educator to help student with the process of quitting but does as much as she can for students who want help.
According to Benne, in order to hire a part-time health educator the health fee would have to be raised from $11 to $15 per student.
“The first thing I would have them do would be to put quitting packets together,” said Benne.
The packets would contain information on the effects of smoking as well as gum, candy and a stir stick that could be used as a distraction, said Benne.
“It’s a nasty smelly habit that can lead to cancer and yellow teeth,” said Benne. “It’s bad to smoke.” It’s true, dental problems can emerge from a smoking habit such as discolored teeth and gum disease. Make sure you’re making time to attend regular Dentist Sewell appointments when you are due one.
For more information on getting help to quit smoking contact the Health Center at (818) 710-4270 or stop by Monday thru Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
This story was written with information from the American Cancer Society Web site www.cancer.org.