Kent State of Well Being’s Tobacco Cessation program, “Freedom from Smoking,” returned in April 2022, allowing students to work towards a smoke-free lifestyle. 

The “Freedom from Smoking” program runs for eight sessions over the course of seven weeks and is targeted at all types of smoking, including vapes, which have become increasingly prevalent among college students.

Meghan Factor-Page, the assistant director for Kent State of Well-being (KSoW), said few students are reaching out to access the resource.

“I think some people are afraid to quit because they might be afraid to fail at it,” Factor-Page said.

Many students are not properly educated on the dangers of vaping, Factor-Page said, but it can lead to many serious complications down the line, including various forms of cancer and heart disease.

“Some folks think that vaping is safer than smoking, but it’s still pretty detrimental to your health,” she said.

The use of e-cigarettes can also cause permanent lung damage as well as lung disease, according to the American Lung Association.

Page said she is a former smoker herself, and she wants students to know quitting does not have to look linear.

“It is possible to quit,” Factor-Page said. “It’s really hard at the beginning because it’s hard to get out of nicotine’s grips, but once you do, it becomes easier and easier.”

Factor-Page said most smokers usually have to quit more than once, so students should utilize the program sooner rather than later.

“I wish more students knew that we were a service that could help them and to not be embarrassed or hesitate to reach out for help,” Page said. “It’s a tough quit, but it’s possible.”

Janson McNair is photo assistant. Contact him at [email protected]