Chris JonesCampus smokers are fully aware of the rising cost of cigarettes, yet a good majority of them are still smoking.
In April 2002, the cigarette industry raised cigarette prices by 14 percent per pack, bringing most states to $4 a pack.
With the increase in cigarette prices, many, including the American Cancer Society, thought the higher prices would deter smokers. Cabrini students, however, do not seem to be quitting smoking.
“I started smoking when I came to Cabrini,” freshman Nick Saienni said. “I smoke Newports. Normally, they are $4.25 a pack, but I go to Delaware and get them for $2.50 a pack.”
“I really wish I could quit,” freshman Kristen Dunn said. “It’s really expensive; I try to buy them when they are on sale.” Dunn smokes half a pack of Marlboro Menthol Lights a day.
“My throat is killing me. That is the main reason I want to quit,” junior Jesse Goldberg said. “Plus, it causes all kinds of cancers and I am running out of money to buy cigarettes, but it’s so hard to quit.” Goldberg smokes half a pack of Marlboro Lights a day.
Many students have been smoking for many years and that is why it is hard to quit. Normally, the longer a person smokes, the harder it is for the person to quit.
“I started smoking when I was 15,” freshman Christine Leadley said. “I usually do about half a pack of Parliament Lights a day and I usually do it after I eat.”
“Junior year of high school I started smoking,” senior Kat Pirrone said. “I used to go to a lot of bars in New York and people smoke in bars so I started smoking. I’ve tried to quit several times, but so far nothing has worked.”
Besides being expensive, there are a number of reasons to quit smoking. According to the American Cancer Society, smoking causes not only lung cancer, but throat cancer, ovarian cancer, heart disease and emphysema, among other things.
“It’s gross,” sophomore Mike Asman said. “It makes your hands smell, your teeth yellow and it causes all sorts of cancers. I am the only one out of all my friends who does not smoke.”
The crowd that people are associated with seems to be the main reason as to why Cabrini students started smoking in the first place.
“I was 16 when I started smoking,” freshman Sebastian Dronski said. “The crowd I hung around with smoked, so I picked it up. Now, I do a little over a half a pack of Newport Lights a day, and a good portion of the money from my job goes to cigarettes.”
There may be a shining light to Cabrini smokers quitting their habit in the near future. Many of the students do want to quit. It is just a matter of willpower and the desire to quit.
“I will eventually quit,” freshman Kristin Poronski said. “I will definitely quit before student teaching starts.”
“I wish I would have never started,” Dronski said. “I’d have a lot more money; I really do want to quit.”
