Students wishing to break their addiction to cigarettes may find a solution with the Student Health Center’s summer Stop Smoking program.

The ISU student health center and the American Lung Association are sponsoring this summer program to help ISU students, faculty, staff and the members of the Ames community stop smoking.

The program, headed by ISU Health Coordinator Randy Mayor, was also offered last spring.

“We had about 10 students signed up last spring,” Mayor said, “and only one was still smoking at the end of the eight weeks.”

The program consists of eight weekly group sessions, each meeting for one to two hours at a time. It teaches participants how to live without cigarettes by using a step-by-step method which includes relaxation techniques, group support, stress management and weight control.

The program can also accommodate different types of habit-breaking methods, such as cold turkey, the patch, gum or nasal spray, Mayor said.

Additionally, discount coupons for aids to kick the habit will be offered to the participants.

“I think that if you want to use the patch, that’s fine. Most studies show that people who use those types of aids have twice the success rate,” Mayor said.

Last year Mayor taught the Stop Smoking program himself. This summer he has trained additional people to help lead the group.

One of the new additions to the program is Sally Hill, an intern at the student counseling center.

“She’s a student and she’s an ex-smoker,” Mayor said. “I think it’s reassuring for the people to know that the person helping them has been there before.”

The cost of the program is $20, which includes all materials plus a $10 deposit that will be refunded at the end of the program if all sessions are attended. The groups will begin Tuesday, June 17, at 7 p.m. at the Student Health Center.

To sign up call Mayor at 294-2722.