Today may be the only day you can tell someone to butt out and mean it in a nice way.

It's the American Cancer Society's annual Great American Smokeout, the day those with a tobacco jones are encouraged to quit and young people are urged never to start.

This year's Smokeout follows the release of a study that shows smoking has increased among college students.

"It goes across all types of students and all types of colleges," said Harvard University's Henry Wechsler, who led the study. "It's like a tide raising all boats."

"College students have just been hustled, lied to and cheated by tobacco companies with their slick marketing," said Donna Phillips of the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency.

"That's why one of the focuses of the Great American Smokeout is to encourage young people to never start that habit," Phillips said.

Local schools, businesses and churches are ready to help tobacco users quit.

Doctors Medical Center in Modesto is serving cold turkey sandwiches for lunch. Modesto Junior College, Sutter Gould Medical Foundation and California State University, Stanislaus, will give away kits containing anti-smoking literature, "Kiss me, I don't smoke" buttons, headless matches and other items.

Kits also are available at the Cancer Society's main office, 1604 Ford Ave., Suite 8, in Modesto, and the Discovery Shop, 3440 McHenry Ave.

People who need a little more help can attend one of four Quick Quit Tips clinics at Vintage Faire Mall. Phillips described the clinics as crash courses in motivation. Health educators will share hints on how to reduce nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

The clinics are scheduled near the Gottschalks entrance in the mall at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Health educators will staff an information table from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

One of the big events this year is a T-shirt exchange. People can exchange a shirt with a tobacco company logo for one of three anti-smoking T-shirts. The exchange locations are Gottschalks at the mall, the Discovery Shop and Roller King, 2000 W. Briggsmore Ave.

Organizers will use the tobacco T-shirts to make a quilt, to be unveiled next spring on World No Tobacco Day.

Townsend Opera Players offers a similar incentive. Those who take in a T-shirt with a tobacco logo will receive two tickets for the price of one to the TOPS show "Elixer of Love." Call the TOPS office at 523-6426 for more details.

Reprinted by permission of Modesto Bee.