[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/leave_the_pack_behind.jpg” caption=”Leave The Pack Behind logo”]Thinking about quitting? A special “Smoke-Free Day at McMaster” is coming on Monday, March 6 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. to the McMaster University Student Centre (MUSC) marketplace. Keynote speaker Shaine Peters, a youth-oriented ex-smoker and ex-tobacco advocate will be in MUSC at 12:45 p.m. to share his personal experience overcoming an addiction to tobacco. Peters paints a startling and disturbing picture of youth tobacco use, with emphasis on tobacco industry marketing tactics that target young people.

The event is being organized by Leave The Pack Behind (LTPB) and the McMaster University Campus Health Centre. Representatives from local organizations, including Hamilton Public Health, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Heart and Stroke, and the Lung Association will be presenting displays in the University Student Centre alongside campus displays from the Health and Wellness Centre, SHEC and LTPB. Special entertainment includes the music of Mac students, free food, and fun prizes. Organizers would like to ask smokers to refrain from smoking or to smoke off-campus during the event times.

“The support we have received from staff and students has been incredible,” says Marian Johnson, campus coordinator of LTPB. “We have received support from the office of the President, vice-president as well as the majority of departments and faculties, with student involvement predicted in the thousands.” The LTPB staff conducted polls amongst 500 Mac students in November 2004 and found that over 80% of them supported a smoke-free day on campus – with 50% of smokers expressing their support.

The event is intended to raise awareness of the health issues surrounding environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) among students, faculty, and staff at McMaster. Furthermore, it is a day where everyone is encouraged to promote the awareness of ETS to others as well as promote the incoming provincial by-law slated for spring 2006.

“There are many signs around campus that state 'McMaster University is working towards a smoke-free environment'. However, when you look around the campus, you still see ashtrays located next to doorways as well as people smoking less than 9 meters from door entrances,” explains Johnson. “The goal of this day is to start putting these 'words' into action; let's actually work together as a team to make our campus a smoke-free environment.”

Although a only temporary event at McMaster, Dalhousie University (Halifax, NS), Lakehead University (Thunder Bay, ON) and the University of Calgary (Calgary, AB), have completely banned smoking on campus property. While mixed feelings remain regarding the smoking ban and the new laws, some students have expressed that the ban may actually help them quit.

LTPB is funded by the Ministry of Health promotion in support of Smoke-Free Ontario. It is a comprehensive, age-tailored, tobacco control initiative for young adults on post secondary campuses. This peer-to-peer program is now available on 18 university/college campuses in Ontario. With trained student teams guided by campus health professionals, LTPB encourages occasional and regular smokers to quit, protects non-smokers from second-hand smoke, prevents students from starting to smoke and exposes deceptive tobacco industry tactics. The program has acquired official standing by the Better-Practices project, as a provincial recommended practice for tobacco control in the young adult population.