Parties, Pressures, & Possibilities. (What the Health Pod)

The hosts of the What the Health pod discuss the dilemma of whether or not to accept a cigarette at a college party. They explain that cigarettes are easily accessible at parties, especially within Greek life, and that alcohol lowers inhibitions, making it harder to resist. They suggest having a plan before going to a party, knowing triggers, and reaching out to a support system. They emphasize the potential health risks and suggest alternatives like dancing or making out. They conclude by encouraging listeners to say no to drunk cigarettes and to keep resisting. Imagine yourself as a freshman in college. It's a Friday night, and you've had an entire week of hard midterms and busy classes. You and some friends are planning to hit the frat to kick off the weekend, and you may or may not find yourself a teeny weeny bit intoxicated. You're in a crowded room filled with sweaty dudes and chicks, when all of a sudden someone offers you the cig. What do you do? What's up? I'm Tyler. And my name is Aliyah. We are two of the co-founders of Health Horizons and hosts of the brand new What the Health pod. Today we're going to talk about the critical moment of debating whether or not to say yes or no to the offer of a cigarette and how we can make the right decision. Let's just start off here. How do you think people in the party scene even get access to cigarettes in the first place? It's crazy how easy it is to get access to cigarettes at college parties, especially within Greek life. Even though frat parties mostly have first and second years, people are still able to get cigarettes through a couple different ways. First, new members of the fraternity are required to carry around party essentials called pledge packs. They usually have cigarettes. Second, other party attendees go off campus and buy cigarettes with fake IDs. Sounds like there's an incredibly easy access point to highly addictive nick products that target college kids. But why do you think it's harder to resist a cigarette at a party specifically? For starters, alcohol lowers your inhibitions. So when you're in an environment that encourages drinking and you're already intoxicated, you're more likely to say yes to things you would normally say no to. Yeah, totally. And there's also that aspect of it being a social thing. Like, you don't want to feel left out or judged by others for not joining in. Exactly. And as people know, nicotine is an extremely addictive substance. It hooks you in, and before you know it, you're reaching for another smoke. So true, girly pop. But how do you think we can go about this conflict of deciding whether or not to take the smoke or not? Well, firstly, it's important to have a plan before you even step foot in that party. It's always a good idea to know what triggers you, and if you're the type that's prone to making bad decisions under the influence. Fact. It's hella important to be aware of what environment you're into and, like, having strategies ready to resist potential pressures. And don't be afraid to reach out to your support system, whether it's a friend, a family member, or contacting a support network on campus, like us. Know that people you love would want you to make the right choice for your body. If you do find yourself in a situation where you're being offered a cig, though, remember the potential harms. Ask yourself, are chronic strokes, cancer, or cardiovascular diseases worth suffering through just for a couple ricks of a cig? Great point. And you can always avoid the situation by hitting the dance floor, making out with someone random, and when in doubt, I always think to myself, I've never regretted not smoking a cig, but I've definitely regretted taking one. Yeah, talk about primary prevention. That's true, though. So to all of our Day One listeners out there, remember that you have the power to say no to those drunk ciggies. But circling back to our hypothetical at the start of the pod, now what would you say if you were offered a cig? Through my work with Health Horizons and knowing what I know now, I would definitely say no to that cigarette. Yeah, for sure. Now that I know more about the risks and have the tools to resist, I'll be more confident in me saying no as well. There you have it, folks. Keep fighting the good fight, and together we can leave drunk cigarettes beyond our Health Horizons. Appreciate y'all for tuning into our episode, Parties, Pressure, and Possibilities on the What The Health pod. Until next time, keep resisting and keep thriving. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.