Behavior modification plan for the cessation of smoking by college students living on campus

Essay by pyrotoysUniversity, Bachelor'sA+, April 2004

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Running Head: SMOKING CESSATION

Smoking Cessation in a student living the campus life

Scott Bakalor

University of South Florida - Sarasota

Abstract

Although smoking has long been recognized as a significant health risk factor among the college age person there has not been a plan developed to help this individual to quit smoking in there environment. Most college students living in campus dorms that are current smokers will have a much harder time quitting than a person living under different conditions. These students have the outside social stimulus from party's and friends reinforcing there behavior. A modification plan that will help students to quit while still allowing them to have the social interactions they want is needed since these students will not give up there friends or social life to stop smoking.

The addiction to cigarettes is an extremely complex cycle. It starts when a person opens the box and lights the cigarette, they then put their hand to their mouth to inhale the smoke into there lungs.

Lung tissues will absorb the nicotine in the cigarettes; it will then reach the brain within 10 seconds. It then triggers a pleasure center in the brain and imprinting this enjoyable activity into memory. Nicotine levels will peak within a matter of seconds and then fall rapidly. With every inhale the smoker takes, this process of smoking is conditioned. (Marshal, 2001)

Quitting smoking will have both immediate as well as long-term benefits in health and financial benefits of people of all ages and genders. According to the Surgeon General (Davis, 1990), "Smoking cessation represents the single most important step that smokers can take to enhance the length and quality of their lives." Your blood pressure will return to a normal level within 20 minutes. After 24 hours, your lungs begin to clear...