Q: If you just try a cigarette will you smoke forever?

Answer:

It is not something you can predict. Everyone responds physically and emotionally to tobacco products in a different way. The important thing to remember is that we don’t know how we will respond to any given substance, and the fact remains that cigarettes are very harmful.

Why would anybody want to expose his/her body to a toxic and often habit-forming substance that has no positive value? By not smoking a cigarette, you automatically cancel the chance that you might smoke forever. When it comes to cigarettes and other drugs, it’s what you don’t do that makes all the difference.

Dorothy Potter, Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Durham Regional Hospital

Activities:

1. Look in today’s Herald-Sun. See if you can find an advertisement about cigarettes. No? Well, that is because more and more print media as well as television have decided not to have ads about cigarettes. In fact, there are very few places where you can find ads promoting smoking. Guess that only verifies that cigarettes are bad for your health.
2. Find the Healthy Living section in today’s Herald-Sun. Which article promoting “healthy living” interests you most? Discuss with your classmates different ways to stay healthy. For instance, who exercises regularly?
3. As a classroom project, discuss ways in which you can avoid peer pressure…whether it be someone trying to encourage you to smoke or someone trying to encourage you to participate in something that you feel is either unhealthy or just plain wrong.