Outside most campus buildings, one is sure to notice a small congregation of people standing, cigarettes dangling in hand. Although most of them are over the legal smoking age. Many students who started smoking said they began when they were minors.

In light of recent successful state lawsuits against tobacco companies, many anti-smoking organizations have initiated campaigns to discourage smoking by people of all ages – especially teenagers. Tobacco companies have been pressured to initiate advertising campaigns to prevent underage smoking.

Even within the national anti-smoking foundation, questions have arisen about how their messages will be presented. According to a Feb. 22 article in The Washington Post, Fuming Over Smoking Ads, the American Legacy Foundation came under fire recently after attorneys from Philip Morris objected to two anti-smoking ads created by the group. The Post reported that the foundation decided to pull them out of rotation on the major television networks after attorneys from tobacco giant Philip Morris contended several of the ads were trying to vilify the smoking industry.

According to The Post, the controversial ads include footage shot at the Philip Morris headquarters in New York. One of the ads featured a young woman walking into the Philip Morris headquarters with a suitcase that said lie detector on it. The woman then asks the guards if she can speak to a marketing director to ask if nicotine is addictive. The ad ends when she is escorted out of the building by security. The other ad shows grainy pictures of hundreds of body bags outside the Philip Morris building. Other ads in the series touting the fact that one-third of smokers will die from their habit will continue to be heavily aired.

Many student smokers said they disagree that anti-smoking ads will have a positive effect on those who want to smoke.

Kate Wolfson, a freshman smoker, said anti-smoking ads could be irritating.

I understand that they’re trying to help, she said. But I don’t really think that it has any effect on people at all. She said ads made by adults will not affect minors who are thinking about smoking.

I think it’s more of a peer influence, Wolfson said. She said no amount of lecturing would convince her not to smoke.

When I decide to stop, I’ll do everything that it takes in order to do that, but I don’t want to stop right now, Wolfson said, Honestly, smoking is my self-destructive way of dealing with my stress. Until I find another suitable way that is equivalent, I’m going to keep smoking.

Wolfson took her fist cigarette puff when she was 13 years old, but she started smoking regularly at 17. She said she used to do volunteer work, and during breaks all her fellow volunteers would smoke. She said smoking became a habit after she started joining her friends when they smoked.

According to the American Medical Association Web site, 3,000 new people begin to smoke every day. More than 947 million packs are sold to minors each year.

Many student smokers said that smoking is a social activity.

I met a lot of people since I’ve been here through smoking, but I don’t smoke in order to meet people, Wolfson said.

Jane Conrad, another freshman smoker, said people tend to look down on student smokers.

I don’t think people should look so down upon it, it’s a choice, she said.

Conrad began smoking last year when she was a senior in high school. During her final exams, she decided to smoke a cigarette to help her remain awake and focus on her studies. She continued smoking throughout the summer.

Conrad said she had hoped to completely quit smoking in college, but she ended up smoking since so many people around her smoked as well.

When you’re with people who smoke, and you see them smoke, it gives you a craving, said Conrad. When I am around people who smoke, I tend to do it more.

Conrad considers herself an extremely light smoker, usually smoking between 1 to 3 cigarettes a day. Conrad said she believes she is not addicted to cigarettes. She said she was able to go through her entire winter break without smoking a single cigarette.

No addict considers themselves an addict, Conrad said.

She said she did not feel that anti-smoking ads would not be truly effective stopping people who are currently smoking. She said she is well aware of the negative effects of smoking, but she is optimistic that she will eventually quit. She said her father, who smoked for more than 20 years, is an example of a successful quitter. Now he runs 13 miles a day.

Conrad said she feels anti-smoking ads may be effective for younger teenagers who have not started smoking yet.

They put really cool kids in the things (commercials), Conrad said. In regards to her own smoking, she said she felt it was just a phase that she was going through in her life.

I think it’s an experiment, Conrad said.