The Peer Health Advocates presented World No Tobacco Day in the Memorial Union Quad on Tuesday, May 31, providing information regarding health risks of tobacco use and informing students of the policy change at Oregon State University shifting to a smoke-free campus in September.
According to the World Health Organization website, World No Tobacco Day informs the public about the dangers of tobacco use, the business practices of tobacco companies, what WHO is doing to fight the tobacco epidemic and what people can do to claim their right to health and healthy living and to protect future generations.
“For the World No Tobacco Day, (WHO) wants people to try to be smoke-free for at least one day on May 31,” said Sadoe Kim, a senior Peer Health Advocates volunteer.
May 31 has been set as the World No Tobacco Day every year. On this day the booth in the MU was full of pamphlets, carabineers, a giant fake cigarette and pledge sheets.
“We have little pledges that people can sign about people going maybe 24 hours, so people can try and quit smoking,” said Jenny Helm, a freshman volunteer for Peer Health Advocates.
Peer Health Advocates is a peer-to-peer volunteer organization that provides information and resources to Oregon State students on many health-related topics.
“We are trying to give facts about the policy on campus, as well as about how next year in September the smoke-free campus policy is in effect,” Helm said.
The volunteers explained that not everyone feels comfortable stopping at the booth to ask questions or get information, so they also provided a white board with information.
“We have a board where people can write out benefits of not smoking,” Helm said. “That way maybe people who walk by, even if they don’t want to stop, can see them.”
According to the LA Times, the World Health Organization states nearly 6 million people die from tobacco use each year, including 600,000 non-smokers, and without action those numbers could rise to more than 8 million by 2030. World No Tobacco Day exists to help prevent that from happening.
The presence of the Peer Health Advocates in the MU Quad goes along with the thoughts of the World Health Organization, to provide information and encourage action to prevent deaths from occurring.