1 minute read
ANDREW MATYSIK & LAUREN REILLY STAFFWRITER & NEWS EDITOR
AJM722@CABRINI EDU & LMR722@CABRINI EDU
The American Cancer Society reports that approximately 699,560 men and 668,470 women were diagnosed with cancer in 2004; 25 percent of these cases are of lung cancer—a common consequence of smoking cigarettes. Despite the health concerns associated with smoking, an estimated 48.2 million Americans 18 and older continue to light up.
Advertisement
In an effort to combat the rapidly growing epidemic of tobacco users in college, the Office of Health and Wellness will be providing classes to help students quit the habit. Main Line Health will sponsor the “Smoke-Free” classes being offered to Cabrini students every Wednesday from Jan. 19 to Feb. 23.
Health Services Coordinator Susan Fitzgerald has decided to lead the fight at Cabrini. Fitzgerald felt compelled to act after viewing horrific facts like 440,000 people dying from tobacco- related diseases annually.
Nicotiana tabacum, otherwise known as nicotine, has been used as early as 6,000 BC. This highly addictive substance is a stimulant similar to that of caffeine, which releases adrenaline causing the recipient to have an increased reaction time and attentiveness.
Psychology department chairman Dr. Anthony Tomasco said that the neurological effects of nicotine mimic that of natural chemicals in the brain. “If you look at nicotine as a pharmological agent, you can see that it does create a sense of relaxation, which normally may only occur if you let endorphins take over,” Tomasco said.
In small doses, nicotine causes the brain to release more endorphins, a natural chemical produced by the body that has painrelieving properties similar to morphine; however, nicotine is also manufactured and sold as a pesticide. Although one cigarette contains a small dosage of nicotine, approximately 1 mg, consuming 60 mg will be fatal to an adult.
Recent studies show that nearly 30 percent of college students smoke cigarettes. This percentage has been steadily increasing throughout the past decade. Escalated depression, unsuccess- ful dieting and alcohol-related problems are all suspected reasons why college students start the smoking habit. Physicians
