Although an abundance of national anti-smoking campaigns have been directed at the youth of America in the past several years, recent statistics at Dartmouth show that smoking has made a comeback, confirming the results of a Harvard University study published last November in the Journal of American Medicine which found smoking has regained popularity on college campuses across the country.
According to the study, co-authored by Henry Wechsler, Ph.D. and Dr. Nancy Rigotti, both Harvard researchers, 29 percent of college students smoked last year, while only 22 percent smoked in 1993. A quarter of those smokers started the habit in college.
John Pryor, coordinator of evaluation and research at the College, who conducted a survey of Dartmouth undergraduate smoking in the spring of 1997, found that 49 percent of students had smoked at least once in the past year, rising from 43 percent in 1995.
Brian Herrick '01, a medical student at Dartmouth Medical School, working with Dr. Joseph O'Donnell, a medical oncologist and Chief of Oncology at the Veterans Administration Hospital, conducted a separate survey of Dartmouth undergraduate smoking this past September. According to the results, 37 percent of students surveyed had smoked cigarettes at least once in the past year.
Herrick also found that smoking is extremely prevalent in social situations such as at parties, bars and restaurants and most students smoke due to stress and peer pressure.
O'Donnell said more college-aged students are smoking now than five years ago partly because tobacco companies have targeted marketing at that age group. Besides direct advertising, O'Donnell said subtle product placement in movies and other media have influenced the recent rise.
Both nationally and at the College, most smokers started the habit in high school. According to Herrick's survey, 80 percent of undergraduate smokers started in high school compared to 89 percent nationally.
Funding for much of this research has come from Dr. Thomas Almy, formerly of DMS. After Almy's daughter, who started smoking in prep school, died last year of lung cancer at the age of 49, Almy donated money to a fund to combat smoking at the College.
Among the projects sponsored by the Almy fund is the Cancer Awareness Organization's Nobacco program, which will award numerous grants of up to $1000 to any student group that proposes a way to promote "Tobacco-free living" for Dartmouth students. Suggestions given by the group include encouraging students to de-stress by soaking in hot tubs or indulging in coffee. The deadline for applications is March 8.
Gary Maslow '00, president of the Cancer Awareness Organization, said the group has received two applications for the grants and has heard numerous suggestions.
Riverbed, a campus bluegrass band, is considering holding a smoke-free music festival at Moosilauke.
Stop Smoking, Start Tasting -- a group of senior wine-tasters -- wish to use the money to help promote wine instead of cigarette tasting.
Other suggestions include giving out free gum on campus and several fraternities are considering applying for grants to fund non-smoking parties.
Rigotti, a co-author of the Harvard study, is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at a community dinner in the spring to award the grants.
The Almy fund was also instrumental in the research and focus-groups conducted this summer by graduates Neil Resnick '98 and Juan Carlos Serna '98. Funded by the Norris Cotton Cancer Center, their work involved focus groups to determine the extent of campus smoking.
Among their findings is a recent rise in cigar smoking on campus and a prevalence of smoking in social situations. Serna said students use smoking as an "icebreaker" at parties.
Although the pair held various smoking cessation clinics for undergraduates, they were not well-attended.
The C. Everett Koop Institute is also immersed in the war against smoking. A group of about 30 undergraduates and alumni is working through the institute to create an anti-tobacco film geared toward children called "Tobacco Never Dies," a parody of the most recent James Bond movie, "Tomorrow Never Dies."
Adam Mirick '99, the group's director of marketing, said the film will be a 40-minute, three-dimensional, animated feature geared toward students between the ages of 10 and 13.
"It's a prevention message," Mirick said. "It really pushes home the message that smoking isn't glamorous, sexy or cool for preteens."
