Students at ASU light up fewer cigarettes compared to students at other universities around the country, according to ASU surveys.
A Health and Wellness survey showed 21 percent of ASU students reported smoking in the last 30 days, said David Bower, health educator for Wellness and Health Promotion.
That's less than the national college average of 30 percent ,according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control.
Only eight percent of ASU students report smoking cigarettes on a daily basis, Bower said. Nationally, 11 percent of college students smoke daily.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports a nationwide increase in "social smokers."
ASU does not survey for social smoking, but Bower said most students who smoke socially do not actually consider themselves smokers.
"Social smokers are those who smoke only when out with friends," he said.
A recent study conducted by the University of Southern California found students considered more popular than their peers smoked more often.
But ASU political science and justice studies senior Clarence Cal said he doesn't think students who smoke are necessarily more popular.
He said most students smoke when they are at parties, stressed or with friends.
"I just want to hang out with my friends when they go out to smoke," he said.
Cal started smoking when he was 18 years old and hopes to quit by age 25.
"I heard that if you quit by 25, in seven years your lungs will clear up," he said.
Bower disagrees.
"You hurt your lungs and heart each time you light up," he said. "The longer a person smokes, the worse the damage becomes."
Bower said smokers start for a variety of reasons, including curiosity, trying to do something dangerous or wanting to act grown up.
Approximately 90 percent of smokers start lighting up before turning 21, Bower said.
Interdisciplinary studies sophomore Kristina Tyler tried smoking when she was 16 "because she could," but quit because she didn't like it.
Now she doesn't like being around people who smoke.
"I hate when [the smoke] blows in my face," Tyler said. "It's irritating."
Reach the reporter at kristi.eaton@asu.edu.
