NIC has taken further action with its tobacco-free guidelines by making its tobacco cessation program more convenient for students.
Student Health Services partnered with Panhandle Health to not only provide educational classes and awareness on quitting, but also to provide individual counseling for free.
The college’s tobacco-free purpose statement reads, “The purpose of this guideline is to reduce harm from second hand smoke, provide an environment that encourages individuals to be tobacco-free, and establish a college culture of wellness.”
Pat DeSmet, family nurse practitioner at NIC’s Student Health Services, headed up the recent changes with the cessation program.
“There has been controversy about whether this campus is tobacco-free with good intentions, or if there are some spaces where compromises can be made,” DeSmet said.
For one month Student Health Services and Panhandle Health did a tobacco cessation program focused on education and quitting techniques in the form of 1 hour weekly, classroom-setting sessions. DeSmet said that a fair amount of people were eliminated from the use of the program because of their schedules so they partnered with Panhandle health to do a retool of the services.
Linda Harder, Senior Health Educator Specialist and Tobacco Cessation Coordinator at Panhandle Health will meet with students on an individual basis on campus, working with their allotted time and schedules.
“I do a participant centered approach, because there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all with tobacco cessation, that way it can really gear towards where the individual is coming from and what their goals are,” Harder said. “Whatever works with them, I want to be available to help.”
One of Harder’s other main goals is focusing on making resources available.
“I use the American Cancer Society’s fresh start program, which the evidence programs have shown over time and research to be successful. They are very specific, they deal with cravings, withdrawal system, changing behaviors, understanding tobacco addiction, and how to prevent or deal with relapse,” Harder said.
Only about 4 percent to 7 percent of people are able to quit smoking on any given attempt without medicines or other help, according to a study done by the American Cancer Society.
“We just want to get the word out,” DeSmet said. “We’ve always known that there are a percentage of people interested in stopping smoking and we’ve also known it can take five tries to get there, so if someone makes the decision that they at least want to increase their awareness, then that’s the place you begin, with bits of information.”
NIC’s Health Services is overflowing with lists of free resources, endless pamphlets and handouts, and quit packets for smoking and non-smoking tobacco users including a to-the-point list of the top 10 ways to quit.
Copious amounts of info are available regarding the benefits of quitting tobacco. Primarily, smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Within just one year of quitting, you could free up to 25 days of free time to do with as you chose. In just 6 months of not buying cigarettes, you could purchase a flat-screen TV (worth $750) or cruise tickets for two in a year. Besides preventing yourself from the risks of cancer from smoking, your sense of smell and taste improves and chances of having a heart attack decrease after just 48 hours.
