According to the National Library of Medicine, “about 23% of the global population is addicted to cigarettes.” On November 19th, River Dell’s American Cancer Society (ACS) took a stand against addiction.
The ACS is an organization where individuals come together to support victims of cancer and work towards its prevention. “It is to raise awareness [and] to be able to help fundraise for cancer research,” explained sophomore Sophie Gang, president of the ACS.
One of their recent activities included assembling “quit kits.”
According to Sophie Gang, quit kits “are tools designed to help individuals who are trying to quit smoking or using tobacco products.” They may contain sweet treats or “motivational items” in order to “make the quitting process easier.” This encourages smokers to work towards their goal while also eliminating their need to put a vape in their mouth. Instead, they can use the candy as a distraction or to satiate the needed oral fixation.
Jonathan Foulds, professor at Penn State College of Medicine, in a Today.com article concluded “as much as 30% of a smoker’s cravings are actually for carbohydrates rather than nicotine.” Therefore, the use of candies and gum has the potential to satisfy the carbohydrate craving and prevent people from smoking.
Members of the ACS volunteered to donate these different candies and assembled them on Tuesday, November 19th. Sophie Gang believes “that is very fulfilling in the sense that I get to volunteer and help.”
The kits can be found at a variety of locations including the River Edge Public Library.
Dr. Sharyn Lewin, Director of Gynecological Oncology at Holy Name Medical Center claimed, “education is really key, and it is an important part of prevention.”
Essentially, cancer is “abnormal cellular growth,” said Dr. Lewin. She explained that “our body is exposed to harmful toxins” and our cells become damaged from these toxins.
“If we have healthy repair mechanisms, our body is able to repair [itself],” Dr. Lewin continued. If the body is unable to do this, abnormal cells form eventually leading to cancer.
According to the National Cancer Institute, lung cancer is the third most common form of cancer in the US. Additionally, lung and bronchus cancer have contributed to 12% of cancer cases in the US this year.
“One in two men and one in three women will be affected by cancer in their lifetime,” explained Dr. Lewin.
However, people can help to prevent themselves from developing cancer by reducing environmental risk factors such as smoking. According to Dr. Lewin, smoking “lowers the immune system and allows [viruses] to continue to propagate.” For instance, “people who have the HPV virus, [their weakened immune system] allows that virus to continue to grow,” which can lead to different types of cancer such as lung cancer and even cervical cancer.
Cancer is even more likely with the increase of consumption of nicotine and tobacco products in high schoolers. For instance, one of the most popular products on the market are nicotine pouches designed to be absorbed into the bloodstream through the gum tissue. Even though the pouches lack tobacco, they are still dangerously addictive because “they result in levels of nicotine in the blood that are similar to those from cigarettes,” said a 2022 German study.
People who become addicted to nicotine from these products are more likely to start smoking.
“Various tobacco-control advocates allege that the pouches constitute gateway products for youth; eventually leading to the consumption of traditional cigarettes or other tobacco containing products,” claimed a 2024 study done by The University of Bath, an British university.
However, the ACS is excited for the difference they are going to make in smokers’ lives. Club advisor, Mr. Tota said, “We’re hoping these kits get to the right people and help out.”
