By Meghan Moran Cavalier Daily Life Editor
As the month known for its resolutions wraps up, smokers have one more chance to make good on their New Year's promises to puff no more in 2004. Students looking for information and guidance on kicking the habit can attend a "Quit Smoking Workshop," offered at 6 p.m. today in room G010 of the Elson Student Health Center.
The workshop, which will focus on cessation methods, smoking triggers and dealing with withdrawal, is co-organized by the Office for Health Promotion and the Center for Alcohol and Substance Education. Information that will be presented at the event is geared toward "any student who wishes to quit now, sometime in the future or who just wants to cut down," said Alison Beaver, assistant director of the Office of Health Promotion.
Beaver said one of the first steps to quitting smoking is to understand what "triggers" the craving for a cigarette. Workshop attendees will take a "Why I smoke test" to determine what makes them desire to light up.
"We go through why they smoke, and then focus on getting [them] a new habit or relaxation technique," Beaver said.
Different smoking cessation options will also be discussed at the workshop. Pills such as Zyban, patches, gums and hypnosis are among the methods that will be covered.
Another topic for discussion at the workshop might surprise some. Attendees will be asked, "What do you love about smoking?" Beaver said that asking this question prompts smokers to generate a list of pros and cons to compare what they love about smoking to "what [they] would love about quitting," in hopes of helping them make the decision to quit.
The health risks of smoking are an obvious motivator to quitting, but Beaver said students often have other personal reasons for wishing to stop.
"Quite a few students say they want to quit because they got a new girlfriend or boyfriend," she said.
Whatever the reason may be, there's no time like the present to bite the bullet and cut the Camels.
Note: Those who wish to attend the workshop should call the Office of Health Promotion to register. The number is 924-1509.
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