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Show Helpful hints to beat the butts Signpost-Wednesday, May 4, 198S 5A 4-28-88 To the editor, Assistant News Director Scott Summerill wrote an excellent editorial entitled, "Smokers Beware, the Future's in the Air," exploring the rising controversy between non-smoker rights and smoker rights. In case he needs an incentive to try quitting again "tomorrow," I would like to share some information with him and the other 90 percent of those who smoke who express the desire to quit A cigarette contains some 3,000 toxic chemicals, including carcinogenic tars and nicotine (an addictive alkaloid poison), ninety percent of which will actually be inhaled and absorbed into the bloodstream. Some of that will go directly to the brain adversely affecting the respiratory system, cardiovascular system, the unborn fetus, etc., etc., etc. These toxic chemicals will increase the smoker's risk of sudden heart attack by three times, will double the risk of fatal heart attack, will increase the risk of chronic obstructive lung disease six times, will increase the risk of dying from lung cancer ten times, and will contribute to over 300,000 deaths this year in the United States. If these facts are not enough, consider the growing body of evidence concerning involuntary smoking. Sometimes called passive smoking, involuntary smoking occurs when a non-smoker inhales sidestream smoke, which is smoke exhaled by the smoker and the smoke coming directly from the lit cigarette. Sidestream smoke contains two and one half times the amount of carbon monoxide and 70 percent more tar than direct smoke. C. Everett Koop, U.S. Surgeon General, reported in 1986 that involuntary smoking is a cause of disease, including cancer in healthy non-smokers, and that children of parents who smoke have an increased frequency of respiratory .symptoms. So, Mr. Summerill and the 90 percent of you who smoke and wish you didn't, and to the innocent but affected non-smoker, I say good luck for tomorrow again. Sharon B. Parkinson Agree? Disagree? Write a letter to the editor!! Living in a video world Dennis Hinkamp Consumer Information Writer Utah State University Having just read an advertisement for a video aquarium, video fireplace and video dog, I began to wonder if this is all getting out of hand. Have we become a nation of passive watchers? Are VCRs (video cassette recorders) taking over our homes? Worse yet, are VCRs a plot by the Japanese to turn our minds to mush so they can take over our country? Maybe I'm overreacting. It's not so much what we watch, but how we watch that has changed. Take fast forward, for instance. It has shortened my attention span even further. Whenever things start going slow I hit the fast forward button. Now I wish I had fast forward even when I'm not watching my VCR. I find myself reaching for the fast forward button when I'm watching television, at a movie or in a meeting. The other effect is that I find myself not paying very close attention to anything. With video tapes and a remote control you figure you can always go back and see it again if you miss it or you can hit the pause button while you go do something else. In general, I think video tapes are great because they relieve you from having to sit in front of the television and conform to its schedule. Video recorders allow you to be in control. This may sound like blasphemy, but video recordings are somewhat like books. You can skim through them quickly or linger over the best parts, you can go back and read them more carefully later. It is easy to poke fun at recordings such as video dog, but there are many educational uses for video tapes. Home improvement, first aid, exercise and arts and crafts all lend themselves to the video format. Being able to rewind and pause is a great improvement over watching the same topics on conventional television programming. Just like home computers, VCRs can be used as toys or tools, it depends on you. WSC focuses on substance abuse KathrynWard Staff Reporter "Alcohol and Drugs ... A Grave Decision?" is the slogan chosen for Alcohol and Drug Awareness Week to be held May 23-28. Sponsored by the Weber State College Alcohol and Drug Peer Counselors in cooperation with ASWSC, Awareness Week brings together two of the components of the recently established Alcohol and Drug EducationPrevention Program namely, peer counseling and the campus organization of alcohol and drug awareness activities. Peer counselors are WSC students available to help ; other WSC students experiencing alcohol or drug-related problems. They have been trained to recognize signs and symptoms of alcohol and drug abuse, to make appropriate referrals, and to give follow-up support. The five peer counselors are: Mark Burnside, Doug Hay more, Paula John, Mutaz AI-Qirim and Kathryn Ward. Sharon Parkinson, director of the Alcohol and Drug EducationPrevention Program and advisor to the peer counselors, encourages WSC students to become involved in the planned Awareness Week activities. Tttcre will be several forums presented during the time prior to Awareness Week. Tables will be set up in the lobby of the Union Building to provide information about the program and the services offered by the counselors and to raise the awareness level of the faculty, staff and students. In order to increase student involvement, the counselors are sponsoring an artposter contest. Entries may incorporate the slogan into their design and should be camera-ready. The winning entries will become the property of WSC for use in future activities pertaining to the Alcohol and Drug EducationPrevention Program. Anyone wishing to submit entries can take them to the Alcohol and Drug Education Office, U.B. 423, anytime before 12 noon on May 20. First prize is $100, second prize is $50 and two third prizes are $25 each. The entries will be displayed and the prizes awarded during Awareness Week. Students wishing further information concerning the contest or desiring help for themselves or friends can call the Alcohol and Drug EducationPrevention Program at 626-6860. lb 2) (0)0 9(0) (5) t YOU'RE INVITED TO ATTEND A COMMENCEMENT EXERCISE " : i . U K H I WHERE: WHEN: MARCH 1, 1988-DECEMBER 31, 1988 FOR: o PRE-APPROVED CREDIT FROM FORD CREDIT $400 CASH BONUS FROM FORD If you've graduated, or will graduate, with a Bachelor's or advanced degree between October 1, 1987 and January 31, 1989, you're invited to attend a commencement exercise at Canyon . You may qualify for $400 from Ford and pre-approved credit from Ford Motor Credit Company. To qualify for pre-approved credit, you need: (1) verifiable employment beginning within 120 days after your vehicle purchase; (2) a salary sufficient to cover normal living expenses plus a car payment; and (3) if you have a credit record, it IU 'ase must indicate payment made as agreed. The $400 from Ford is yours whether you finance or not. Keep it or apply it to the purchase or lease of an eligible Ford or Mercury vehicle. For all the details, contact us or call Program Headquarters, toll free, at 1-800-321-1536. But hurry. This limited time offer is only available between March 1 and December 31 , 1 988. So take advantage of the FordMercury College Graduate Purchase Program now. 3350 Wall Ave. Ogden, UT 84401 "i Ogden: 621-1910 S.L.C.: 328-2601 |