Percentage of tobacco users at UCLA below U.S. average

By Hemesh Patel
Daily Bruin Staff

Studies released by Harvard University and the Arthur Ashe
Student Health and Wellness Center last year revealed the
percentage of tobacco users at UCLA is lower than the national
average.

According to the Harvard study issued in August, 46 percent of
college students reported using tobacco within the past year. In
comparison, 32 percent of UCLA students use tobacco, based on a
study conducted through the Arthur Ashe Center.

“I know the consequences of smoking and I really
don’t see any reason how I could take pleasure in putting
smoke in my lungs,” said Shekib Jami, a third-year
physiological sciences student.

A growing number of advertising campaigns against tobacco seek
to have an impact on students and young people.

One Web site, www.thetruth.com, posts statistics from the World
Health Organization, which cited that a person dies every 10
seconds from tobacco use.

According to the site, medical research suggests smokers who
start in their teens and continue for two or more decades are
likely to die 20 to 25 years earlier than those who start.

The site included graphic images of the effects smoking can have
on a person’s body.

“I think their campaign is really original, they use a
shock effect,” said Lucy Yu, who graduated from UCLA in June
2000.

Others said advertising against tobacco use is geared toward a
younger audience than university students.

“If you were thinking about starting to smoke, it would at
least plant a seed in your mind and make you think twice,”
said Ryan Kittell, a third-year atmospheric sciences student.

In addition to students who use cigarette tobacco, the study
looked at those who use cigars and smokeless tobacco.

“Our findings show that college students are using all
types of tobacco products,” said Nancy Rigotti, lead author
and director of Tobacco Research and Treatment at Massachusetts
General Hospital, in a statement.

“Essentially, college students are playing with fire,
putting themselves at risk of a lifelong addiction to
nicotine,” she said.

Yu, who has been smoking for five years, said she used to be
anti-smoking but started using tobacco when she first came to the
university.

“I was just surrounded by people who smoked and I was told
it relaxes you,” she said.

The Harvard study concluded that many people develop lifelong
nicotine dependency while in college.

Yu said she is aware of the campaigns and health risks
associated with tobacco use, but chooses to smoke.

“I know it’s a cancer stick and I know it’s
not good for you, but it’s my choice,” Yu said.
“I don’t like campaigns that preach against smoking,
but campaigns such as thetruth.com are very fresh.”

She was surprised that the percentage of tobacco users at UCLA
was lower than the national average.

“When I first got here, there were not as many smokers,
but in the past two years the number of people who smoke has gone
up,” Yu said.