Column: Surgeon general’s warning

Students’ stomachs were turned and many gasps of disgust could be heard in the SUB Nov. 17 as ASNIC held Commit To Quit Day in support of the Great American SmokeOut. Students were shown two sets of real pig lungs—one healthy and another that had been exposed to tobacco smoke.

The lungs were hooked up to a pump, inflated and deflated as if still alive. In addition to the lungs, a small silicone model of a mouth, aka “Mr. Dip Lip,” showed students what happens to a human mouth as the teeth and gums decay from the use of chewing tobacco.

The Great American SmokeOut is a nationwide day to quit smoking sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Smokers across the country are encouraged to quit, or at least not smoke for 24 hours, on the third Thursday of every November. The event is celebrating its 36th year running.

NIC’s own Tobacco Task Force in conjunction with ASNIC provided information on their current plans for NIC’s newly adopted smoke-free policy, they also distributed tobacco substitute products such as nicotine gum and patches. The task force gave out cold turkey sandwiches to those who signed a proclamation to quit “cold turkey.” The signatures were a commitment not to smoke, chew or use other tobacco products for a full 24 hours. ASNIC sought recommendations and feedback from students and facultyto help plan for next year.

“If you say you quit for 24 hours, then they’ll give you candy,” jokingly said Kyle Nuefeld, 20, music, Coeur d’Alene.

In addition, the program will distribute leaflets during the first weeks of next semester. They will include a map of campus boundaries and a script to use when asking smokers to put out their cigarettes.  Leaflets may also contain coupons for free coffee or soda from the market in the SUB.

The store in the SUB plaza will now be carrying some tobacco substitute products such as gum and patches.

NIC is not the first school to go tobacco free. The new policy was inspired by the acts taken by the University of Kentucky and there are at least 586 tobacco free campuses in the US.

“For the way things got rolled out, I think we handled this amazingly well,” said Linda Michal, dean of students and leader of the Tobacco Task Force.

The group hopes that during this year students will come to accept the policy. However, if violations continue, it is possible that tickets and fines may be given out next fall. Nick Dimico, former vice president of ASNIC, said Seattle Central Community College recently contacted him with the hopes they could get information regarding how to create a tobacco-free policy.

The Task Force’s long-term goal is to have a solid and upheld smoke-free policy for the NIC campus in two years.

“The ideal is that everyone will quit smoking. That’s not going to happen,” Michal said.

Cigarette-butt receptacles have been placed along high foot-traffic areas of the dike road to help combat the litter. The campus group known as CLICK (Cardinal Leaders in the Community) recently removed one bursting full, 50-gallon garbage bag of cigarette butts just from the edge of the dike road and hillside on the campus.

 “We don’t understand how it didn’t catch on fire!” Dimico said.

ASNIC will have fliers at campus health services on how to get information to help quit smoking. The health services staff has been trained to help people deal with the stress of quitting. They offer counseling and depending on the case, can prescribe medication.

“We’re not asking them to quit smoking, we’re just asking them to not do it while they’re here,” Dimico said.

 “We don’t understand how it didn’t catch on fire!” Dimico said.

ASNIC will have fliers at campus health services on how to get information to help quit smoking. The heath services staff has been trained to help people deal with the stress of quitting. They offer counseling and depending on the case, can prescribe medication.

“We’re not asking them to quit smoking, we’re just asking them to not do it while they’re here” Dimico said.

Opinions expressed in editorial and opinion articles are the views of individual NIC students. These views do not necessarily  reflect the opinions of the Sentinel, North Idaho College, or any other organizations or groups there-in. North Idaho College is not responsible for the accuracy of statements or opinions shared.