Great American Smoke Out Day at Bloomsburg

On Thursday, November 15, the Great American Smokeout Fair will inform visitors of the dangers of smoking, cancer, mouth diseases, lung problems, and other health issues springing from tobacco use. The event will take place in Kehr Union from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Organizations such as DAWN, the American Cancer Society, Bloomsburg Running Club, Biology Club, the Student Health Center, and the National Student Speech Language and Hearing Association will run booths providing information. Dr. Jackson, organizer of the Smokeout, said, "My office, DAWN, focuses on health issues and tobacco use. We started this event four years ago." Students from Central Columbia Middle School made smoking-related posters, 24 of which were chosen to be displayed in the Kehr Union multipurpose rooms, along with posters and brochures created by university biology students. Dr. Fran Kendris from the Counseling Center will speak at 7 p.m. Her lecture, "Big Money, Big Business, Big Problem: Tobacco & Health," will address the dangers of smoking and the tobacco industry's influence on media. "It is a huge problem. It's highly addictive, a major health risk for many students," she said. Though many laws have banned smoking in workplaces and restaurants, as well as raised taxes on cigarettes. Kendris explained, "It's a billion dollar industry. Advertisements contribute to people taking up smoking. Now companies are required to provide information but not to the degree we'd like to see." The American Cancer Society started the National Great American Smokeout in the 1970s. People observe this day by smoking less or quitting on the third Thursday of November. People are encouraged to stop using tobacco as they learn many ways to permanently kick the habit. They are informed of tobacco-related illnesses and deaths, since smoking causes 1 out of 3 cancer deaths.