The sign in Laub Lounge read: “Which product is regulated?” A box of macaroni and cheese was taped on the sign, and next to it was an empty cigarette box. The surprising answer followed. While mac and cheese is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, cigarettes are not.

Peggy Marinelli, registered nurse and director of NCC’s Health and Wellness Center, is hoping to change that. For Kick Butts Day 2008, a national day of activism created for people to speak up and take action against tobacco companies, she organized a petition to pass legislation that would enable the FDA to regulate both current and new tobacco products. Students, faculty, and staff had the opportunity to sign it on April 2.

“There are 4700 chemicals in tobacco smoke and at least forty-three are known to cause cancer,” Marinelli explained to student Jules Knighton (pictured left) as he added his name to the petition. “Right now the tobacco companies can put anything they want into these products, including arsenic, butane, cyanide, formaldehyde, and acetone.”

Student Domanique Watson(pictured right) doesn’t smoke, “I’m against it, for health reasons,” she said as she signed the petition.

“Even if you are a non-smoker you are affected by these chemicals through second-hand smoke,” Marinelli said.

If you’d like to sign the petition, please stop by the Health and Wellness Center, College Center Room 120.

                                            ^{Student Anthony Pulcini}