EDITORIAL:Golden West helps smokers

We could trot out numerous statistics about the dangers of smoking, but why bother? Virtually everyone agrees that it’s a nasty habit worth kicking sooner than later.

So, of course, we support Golden West College’s bid to ban smoking on the campus except for areas in the parking lot. But we want to go a little further and especially praise the school’s administration for devising a plan to help smokers kick the habit while also taking pains to make the change go down a little easier.

Many businesses and governments have joined the no-smoking trend, but how many try to help the smokers overcome their addiction? Aided by a grant, college officials will be offering smoking-cessation classes and will even take the message to the smokers where they’re still allowed to sneak a drag. Sylvia Worden, Golden West’s associate dean of Student Health Services, said the college is aiming for a “culture change.” Also, Golden West wants to make sure the smokers don’t feel this is a “punitive” measure, Worden said.

On the contrary, the college is considering comfy shelters for the smokers in the rainy season.

Here’s another fact most people know about smoking: It’s very difficult to quit. Golden West educators deserve hearty praise for recognizing that. After all, it’s a place of higher learning, and what nobler goal can the college have than to educate its students?