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Cigarettes and college don’t mix |
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Thursday, 15 April 2010 |
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By TONI KARAN
Staff Writer
A Niagara College program tries to make not smoking the cool thing to do.
Niagara's Leave The Pack Behind (LTPB) program is a helpful non-pressure approach for students who have an interest and the willpower to quit smoking.
 Photo by Toni Karan
"It is a
positive approach for students who want to quit smoking," says Penny
McKee, college health nurse.
The LTPB program reaches about 98 per
cent of the student population. It runs at 41 college and university
campuses across Ontario.
McKee says the Leave The Pack Behind program
is the college's main resource for people who want help to quit
smoking.
It offers students different techniques that will help them
win their battle against their need for tobacco.
Ruby Aidoo, a public
relations program student who helps run the program. She says, "Since
people are different, there are different approaches."
Every month
LTPB has a different theme to interest people. March's theme, "Quit
& Get Fit" was designed to help students quit smoking and be in good
physical condition by exercising.
"It focuses on the students
directly, which makes it very approachable," says Aidoo.
LTPB sets up
every Tuesday by the cafeteria to answer any questions students might
have.
Lisa Berry, a Niagara College student, says it is good to have
help in a non-pressured way.
Students who run the program go up and
talk to students about LTPB and will give away treats.
They also
leave slogans in classrooms to make students aware of their program.
"I
would definitely consider using it," says Berry.
Pat Nowell, a clerk
at Avondale on First Avenue in Welland, says the majority of people who
buy cigarettes are males.
According to a CBC article, 23 per cent of
the male Canadian population smokes and 20 per cent of the female
population smokes.
For additional information about the LTPB program
go to its website www.leavethepackbehind.org.
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