York, Pa. - If even for just a day, smokers across the country on Thursday were asked not to light up for the Great American Smokeout.

It's the 34th year for the national day of trying to kick the habit, a habit which is the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society.

Students at York College were asking people to make a pledge to stop smoking for just 24 hours to see what a difference it makes to live without cigarettes.

"Take the pledge to quit smoking, if you don't smoke, pass it on," could be heard throughout the campus, and it was coming from a walking sandwich; a turkey sandwich asking people to quit "cold turkey." The hope is that one day of smoking can turn to a lifetime of being smoke-free.

"The side effects of just a few hours of not smoking, and a day of not smoking, are enormous," said Cary Slagel, the campus Relay for Life adviser.

"It lowers your blood pressure and stuff like that, and 10 years down the road it's like you never smoked and it lowers your risk of cancer dramatically," said Kate Cooper, who volunteered to be the walking turkey sandwich.

Students say smoking is a big problem at the college. Every smoker we spoke with said they want to quit, but for one reason or another said quitting cold turkey is a challenge.

Jackie Borruso has smoked for about two and a half years and said, "The stress gets to me, so I kinda need it sometimes."

"Maybe I can't do it because I am 'addicted' but other people easily can," said Megan Davitt, who has smoked for about five years.

The message on how to quit is about saving a life, not just for the smoker, but those who breathe in the second-hand smoke. "I always hope that less people are smoking. My grandmother died from lung cancer and she never smoked," said Cooper. "But it was because of second-hand smoke that she got it."

And though they know the risks, most smokers say they still haven't been able to quit. "It's not good for you, it's a disgusting habit, it's not attractive," Davitt said.

Slagel asked dozens of smokers to take the pledge to quit. "They said they were embarrassed because they are embarrassed that they smoke, but they don't know how to stop. And they've tried," she said.

Slagel says even if they don't commit today, she hopes it's opened the eyes of many students on campus.

Davitt said, "When I do finally quit it's for good, I'm not going back to it."

For more information, visit www.cancer.org/GreatAmericans.

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