As smoking becomes more and more restricted in Ames, students can attend an event that will help them throw away their lighters and cigarettes – for good.

Diane Cardwell, physician’s assistant at Mary Greeley Medical Center, will hold an informal, informative session on the effects of nicotine and new products designed to help smokers quit using tobacco from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at Youth and Shelter Services of Ames, 420 Kellogg Ave.

Jody Kammin, community youth development coordinator for Youth and Shelter Services, said now is a good time for the organization to provide tobacco education to the adult community.

“This program is really for everyone, whether you are the smoker yourself, or you know someone who is,” she said.

People should attend if they are ready to stop smoking immediately or in the future, Kammin said.

“Everyone who wants to learn how to stop smoking should come in now,” she said. “Then, when you find the right time for you to quit, you will have the knowledge of how to do so.”

Cardwell said she is excited about the presentation.

“I would not consider myself an expert on the topic,” she said, “but it is something that I feel passionate about, and have done a lot of work, and a lot of research for.”

Cardwell said she wants to focus on the fact that smoking is a chronic disease, not just an addiction.

“Studies show that 70 percent of smokers want to quit,” she said. “It is just a matter of them needing to find the right time, to have a support system and to get motivated to do so. What I really hope to do in this one hour is to give people the avenue that they need to make themselves successful in getting this done.”

Kammin said the session will help smokers identify the barriers that are preventing them from quitting.

“We need to take a look at the environment that they are living in and the one that they are working in to find out what it is that is standing in their way, and alleviate it,” she said.

Both Kammin and Cardwell said most people already know the effects of tobacco on the human body, so they plan to move away from that topic and focus more on second-hand smoke, as well as some of the new products that are available to aid smokers who want to quit.

“Most people are familiar with the nicotine gum and patches,” Cardwell said. “But what we are using more and more are actual medications.”

These medications help people handle the withdrawal symptoms many people neglect to consider, Cardwell said. A healthy lifestyle and support are other keys to quitting successfully, she said.

Individual assessments will be offered after the conclusion of Friday’s session to help determine if now is a good time for the individual to quit.

“We need to determine if the individual just knows that it would be a good idea to quit, or if they are actually ready to do so,” Kammin said.

The assessments will help Kammin determine what sort of support group she should start.

“Should we meet once a week, or once a month?” she said. “I am prepared to do whatever it is going to take to offer the support they need.”

Cardwell said she also hopes to increase follow-ups for her patients.

“I often encourage my patients to stop smoking, but I don’t keep after them,” she said. “What I need to do is meet with them every week to see where they are at, and to continue to support and motivate them.”

Cardwell said having fewer smokers will cost the public less money.

“I have fought many battles with insurance companies, and what I want to do is get them to save money with primary prevention, not with secondary management,” she said.

“Getting just one person to quit has a huge impact. It saves money out of your and my own pockets.”

Cardwell said she hopes the event is something that will appeal to college students, because they are at a vulnerable age.

“Ninety percent of smokers started between the ages of 15 and 25, so reaching that population is crucial,” she said.

Cardwell said she knows the tobacco companies have won the battle in appealing to this age group.

“I think of Iowa State as a very well-educated community, and when I walk across that campus and I see people smoking, it is very difficult for me,” she said.

“I guess that is when I really know that big tobacco has won at damaging the health of young people.”