As more start smoking, Penn has few initiatives

All across campus there are signs instructing students to have safe sex, love their bodies and get a good night's sleep -- but they fail to mention the number one killer in America.

The Office of Health Education is silent on the issue of smoking.

"We are not doing any campuswide campaigns on tobacco," Director of Health Education Susan Villari said. "We do things that students identify have the greatest negative impact on academics."

These factors include body image, stress and alcohol.

However, with the number of college-age smokers on the rise, other universities are investing time and money into smoking cessation campaigns.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking has decreased among all age groups except for 18-24 year-olds. In 2004, 28.5 percent of the demographic reported smoking, up from 24.5 percent in 1990.

In response to these statistics, Temple University sponsors programs such as 'smoke-outs' in which students can trade in a pack of cigarettes for a CD and a chance to win a DVD player.

Temple received a $29,000 grant from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and the Pennsylvania Department of Health for this program.

Villari cites budget constraints as well as lack of interest as reasons the OHE has not focused its attention on smoking.

In 2002, the office reported that 22 percent of Penn students were smokers. Statistics for the past two years were not publicly available.

However, according to Sandra Herman, a health educator at the Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center -- which is affiliated with the University -- smoking can be seen as being in the same category as other health problems.

"There is still a perception [that] drinking is the problem, and somehow smoking is not seen in the same category," she said. "There is a misconception that if people want to quit they can -- but it's an addiction and a lot of times people need help and support."

Through TTURC, Herman runs a smoking cessation program for full- and part-time students between the ages of 18 and 30.

The seven-week program currently has 80 students enrolled.

According to Herman, college is an easy place for students to begin smoking.

"People are here and away from home, and initially people think they are social smokers until they realize they are not anymore," she said.

Last fall, Penn's college houses became smoke-free.

According to the Residential Handbook, smoking is now prohibited in all residential buildings and outdoors within 20 feet of windows and doors.

Leslie Delauter, director of College Houses and Academic Services, cited smoking in rooms as a cause of conflict between roommates and floormates.

While Delauter said the policy is not foolproof, she added that smoking-related complaints have diminished in number.

"As an ex-smoker, I can say with certainty that nothing prevents a die-hard smoker from smoking," Delauter said. "That said, I think it would be wonderful if, as a result of this policy, casual smokers would find that smoking was fairly inconvenient."

Herman noted that the no-smoking policy in dorms is a good start to preventing casual smoking.

"If you can quit when you have been smoking under 10 years, your chances of quitting smoking are much better," she said.

Delauter agreed.

"The fewer places you can light up, the fewer cigarettes you can smoke. Just wait until they pass the Philadelphia smoking ban in public places," she said.

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