Press Release

Kiss Me campaign

Columbia, Mo (Feb. 14, 2007) - MU students got more than romance on Valentine's Day as the PASS peers showed them that romantic life and good health make a good match. The message was part of this year's Kiss Me campaign, which consisted of two-day educational tabling at Brady Commons and a guest lecture at the MU Department of Family and Community Medicine.

The theme was "Bringing Sexy Back" and it gave students five reasons why non-smokers are sexy. Those reasons are:

• 1. More money for dates
• 2. Kisses taste sweeter
• 3. Breath smells better
• 4. Greater lung capacity
• 5. Don't have to take smoke breaks

During the campaign PASS gave away T-shirts, educational items and cessation information. This year's event was the second one for PASS and it marked a 30% increase in attendance by MU students.

"This year we were very pleased as during the Kiss Me campaign we gave away 600 t-shirts and educational items and students were lined up waiting for the shirts before we opened each day. We were also able to have great conversations about the dangers of second-hand smoke and its related costs. Our goal is to see this campaign grow each year and become bigger and better than the last."

The campaign also included a grand rounds talk titled "Secondhand Smoke is an Acute Issue" by Dr. Richard P. Sargent, vice chairman of the Montana Tobacco Advisory Board. He presented his findings on the reduction in heart attacks associated with the Helena, Mont., Clean Indoor Air Ordinance.