By Andrea Steere

news@joplinglobe.com

Today, Missouri Southern State University will participate in the Great American Smokeout for the first time.

Besides encouraging smokers to quit, Krista Stark, Clean Air Project program assistant, said the program’s goal for the event is to promote smoke-free establishments.

“We want to create ordinances that make 100 percent of indoor public places smoke-free,” said Stark. “If you’re going to smoke, smoke outside.”

The Great American Smokeout is a nationwide event promoted by the American Cancer Society to encourage smokers to quit and “to make them aware of the many tools they can use to quit for good.”

Missouri Southern’s Clean Air Project and Peers Against Secondhand Smoke are holding the event and hope to make it annual.

“Smoke Facts” were set up around the MSSU campus Tuesday and Wednesday. But the main events of the smokeout will happen today.

At 11:30 a.m., smokers will get the opportunity to quit “cold turkey.” In exchange for a pack of cigarettes, a smoker will get a turkey sandwich.

A chili cookoff, where contestants compete for best overall tasting chili, best name of chili and the best presentation of chili, will also be held. Winners will be announced at 2:30 p.m.

Comedian Renee Hicks will perform at 8:30 p.m. in Missouri Southern’s Criminal Justice Auditorium.

Hicks, once an Olympic runner, used to try out her comedic skills in comedy clubs filled with secondhand smoke. Though she never smoked, she was eventually diagnosed with lung cancer.

Hicks eventually lost a lung to the disease. But she also began to use her comedy as a way to spread the word about the dangers of secondhand smoke.

“Being exposed to secondhand smoke for eight hours is equivalent to one pack of cigarettes,” Stark said. “We want to advocate patrons’ and workers’ rights to a smoke-free workplace.”

Stark said that filtration devices and smoking sections don’t work, because they only reduce the smell, not the risk, Stark said.