SIU School of Medicine student Shireen Heidari is one of about 30 medical students trying to keep children from smoking.

If we can prevent it now, the cost of treating emphysema and cancer will be less, said Heidari, a first-year medical student from Champaign and a presenter of Smoke Free That’s Me! a program designed to teach second, fourth and sixth grade students the unhealthy effects of tobacco smoking.

The SIU School of Medicine and the American Lung Association have teamed up for the first time for Smoke Free That’s Me!

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Since the beginning of the school year, SIU medical students have been conducting seminars to help young students from starting to smoke.

Helen Saunders, regional director for the American Lung Association, began the project in the Southern Illinois area in 1994.

We did not have the money to do the program by passing out brochures to children from (kindergarten through 12th grade), Saunders said. We decided that these three levels were the ones to do.

The research that was presented was that ads targeted children like Joe Camel. (The American Lung Association) felt that it was time for a project like this.

The program involves discussion of lung health issues, peer pressure and advertising, along with videos and handouts for each age group.

After various advertisements were given to first-year medical students during the summer, the joint effort went into effect.

Our students displayed a significant response to this program, said Sharon Hall, assistant dean for Student Affairs at the SIU School of Medicine and faculty representative for the program. Roughly 30 first-year medical students have volunteered already. The med students find it very rewarding.

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Three years ago, the American Lung Association worked on a smaller scale together with volunteer professionals and the Saluki Volunteer Corps.

Students receive no class credit, but receive recognition on their permanent file for volunteer work.

Volunteers go through a two-hour training session after providing the American Lung Association with references. The training sessions consist of viewing videotapes and reviewing a script that the presenters may use as a guide.

We’re not trying to say anything bad about smokers, Heidari said, we just want to give young people information on smoking for when they make a decision they will be educated.