When Stacey Adewakun, Matthew Edwards and Marjorie Swain visit college campuses in Jefferson County, they’re cheerleaders of a sort. As Policy Coordinators with the American Lung Association’s Tobacco Free Campus, these three are rallying the student body -- and faculty and staff -- to become smoke-free community ambassadors.
“We’re getting out there to each of the communities to educate students on the campus, as well as faculty and staff on the detrimental health affects of smoking,” says Edwards. The trio reaches a diverse group of people from private institutions like Miles College and Birmingham Southern to technical colleges like Herzing through events on campus. At these events, the group passes out information on the dangers of smoking and the benefits of being smoke-free. In addition, students can sign a petition for a tobacco-free campus and receive information about becoming part of a campus task force.
Each task force is “a voluntary coalition for people on campus to have a banner to fight under,” Edwards says. The ten members of the task force -- trained by the policy coordinators -- is charged with helping organize and mobilize on-campus events, hanging up fliers and urging people to sign petitions.
“We’re trying to get a grassroots effort to change the culture in Alabama,” says Edwards. “The more we educate on these campuses, the more we’ll be able to put a toe in the door of the community at large. Students are in school for a semester, or a year, or several years, and they take what they learn here back to their communities. That’s where we really make the change.”
While Tobacco Free Campus is largely about prevention and keeping tobacco products and tobacco-related advertising off campuses, Swain and Adewakun tell of folks walking up to their booth at events wanting to quit. “I’m so proud that we’re able to provide help to people who want to quit smoking,” Swain says. “While we are educating and spreading knowledge, it’s also important to listen. People want to tell us their stories, people who have had challenges quitting.”
As Tobacco Free Campus grows, the team wants to move on to larger educational events. “Virginia College wants us to come onto the campus and do a lecture in the classroom on tobacco use,” says Edwards. “These opportunities are starting to spring up. We want to be able to educate more people, reach more minds.” Once the task forces are in place on each campus, Edwards says, Facebook profiles can be set up, and an online community can spring up around each group’s on-campus efforts.
Last month, the American Lung Association released it’s State of Tobacco Control report, and Alabama got a big fat ‘F.’ With Tobacco Free Campuses, “we’re going to turn that into an ‘A,’” says Edwards. “We’re trying to change the culture through knowledge, which can only be brought about by education. I truly believe that with education anything is possible.” Including tobacco-free campuses, and a smoke-free Alabama.