On this page our younger readers, along with their parents can learn important facts about issues that society deals with, as well as possible ways to deal with them.
Sammy decides to do something about the issue of smoking!
A Burning Issue pt. 1- Sammy's thoughts on smoking
A Burning Issue pt. 2- What's Sammy's idea to stop people from smoking?
Sammy's Anti-smoking Wordsearch
Facts about smoking:
Smoking damages the lungs, causing shortness of breath and allowing less oxygen to reach your brain. You may incur lung cancer and, as well as heart disease, both lead to death. For those of you who have asthma, smoking can make asthmatic symptoms worse. Along with cancer, it also causes wrinkles and bad breath, while staining your teeth. You are prone to more cavities, plus your clothes smell like smoke (Yuck!).
Here are some facts you may not know;
Cigarette companies have been found to add nicotine to their product so that it will be harder for smokers to quit.
Cigarettes also contain tar (you know, what they pave the roads with. Imagine that in your lungs!)
Some cigarette companies have been found to advertise near schools to get young people to start smoking. (Sammy says, "Don't you fall for it!")
Chewing tobacco is no better since you may get mouth and throat cancer.
You need to remember that:
Both cigarettes and smokeless tobacco are harmful to your health.
You may plague yourself with a deadly disease, like cancer or heart disease.
You may become addicted to the nicotine found in the cigarettes.
FOR PARENTS:
Your words can save your childs life by talking to them about the dangers of the use of tobacco and nicotine addiction. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States. By talking to your children at a young age is beneficial. The Center For Disease Control and Prevention, reports that each day 3,000 kids become regular smokers and that about one third of these children will eventually die a "smoker's death", from cancer, heart disease, or lung disease. Smokeless tobacco, which is chewing or spit tobacco, can also lead to nicotine addiction, oral cancer, gum disease, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks. Even though these dangers are severely high, about 16% of United States high school boys in grades 9 to 12 use smokeless tobacco, with rates rising as high as 35% in some western states. About 90% of today's adult smokers started as children, so it's important that you take the opportunity to talk to your kid about smoking before he/she starts the habbit. Older children who haven't began are less likely to begin smoking.
"The most important way you can prepare to deal with smoking is by establishing good communication. The more you talk with your child, the better chance you have of staying close when things get tough,"says Neil Izenberg, MD.
IDEAS FOR PARENTS &TEACHERS
You can ask your children/students to write a short paragraph/essay about why they wouldn't smoke and what they would do if a friend offered them a cigarette. E-mail us at info@teamgkheroes.com with some of the results and we may even print the best responses.
