“I want to quit . . . but just for one day’’

By Emil Bach Andersen The World Health Organisation’s annual drive to encourage smokers to abstain for 24 hours is being embraced by the university. Despite massive efforts through campaigns, high pricing and plain packaging, many students are unable to quit, but some say they will try to refrain on May 31. Nineteen-year-old student Kenousha and several of her friends regularly meet to smoke in the Murdoch car park because smoking on campus is banned. “I want to quit, but it is just so difficult for me. I was about 14 when I started smoking, and as a student it has become my main stress reliever,” Kenousha says. While high prices have forced her to cut back, plain packaging and smoking bans have had no effect. “We have to stand and smoke in a car park. We just have to walk a bit more now,” Kenousha says. She promises to change that on World No Tobacco Day. “I would definitely not smoke that day. I think I can do that for one day, but a total quit will be more difficult.” The Cancer Council says that 13 per cent of the 18 to 24 years-old are regular, daily smokers.