Ground Rules
One person talks at a time.
No one will be forced to participate if he/she does
not want to do so.
Students are free to express their opinions or
participate in group activities without being
subjected to criticism.
Everyone will be respected. Anything discussed
in group will remain confidential.
Smoking: Myth and Reality
Goal: to give you important factual information about
smoking.
What percentage of teenagers smoke daily?
2.4% (8th grade) 5.5% (10th grade) 10.3% (12th grade)
Point to Ponder
Fewer people smoke than we think. In
reality smokers represent a small minority
with the vast majority of teenagers and
adults being non smokers.
Smoking: Myths and Realities
Why do some students smoke cigarettes,
while others do not?
Smoking: Myths and Realities
Please come up for reasons to smoke and
not to smoke.
Smoking: Myths and Realities
Pro

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




Con
I enjoy it
It relaxes me
It’s a habit
Everybody smokes
It helps me feel and look
older

It stimulates me, gives me
a lift
Helps keep my weight
down

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It can be harmful to
health
It doesn’t look good
It cost too much
money
It will affect my
athletic ability
My parents will kill
me
Myths and Realities Test
Myth - A fiction (un truth) or half-truth, A
fictitious story).
Reality-the quality or state of being actual
or true.
Point to Ponder
Cigarettes are not magical and cannot do all
the wonderful things that advertisers would
have us believe they can do.
In applying the myth and reality test one
thing is clear: there are many good reasons
for not smoking and no good reason for
smoking.
Cost of Smoking
How much does a pack of cigarettes cost?
$9.75.
Calculate the weekly cost of smoking a
pack a day.
$9.75 x 7 = $69.25.
Calculate the monthly cost of smoking a
pack a day.
$68.25 (monthly cost) x 4 = $273.00.
Cost of Smoking
Calculate the annual cost of smoking.
Annual cost of smoking ($273.00) x 12 =
$3276.00
How else could you use that amount of money???
Long Range Effects of Smoking
Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for
developing several types of cancer, heart
disease, and chronic respiratory diseases.
The survival rate of these diseases are
generally poor.
Together these three cause up to 58% of the
total deaths in the United States each year.
Smoking and Your Body.
Please open to page 25 of your student
guide.
What are the short and long term effect on
your body?
Points to Ponder
Cigarette smoking has a negative effect on
many parts of the human body. Some occur
fairly immediately, while most develop over
several years.
Smoking can cause bad breath, make your
clothes smell, and stain your teeth.
Process of Becoming a Smoker
Step 1 Trying cigarettes.
Step 2 Smoke cigarettes
on occasion.
Step 3 Increase how often
you smoke
Step 4 Smoke a pack or
more a day.
Process of Becoming a Smoker
What is the smoking patterns of someone
who just becoming a smoker? Dos he/she
smoke in groups or alone?
How is it different from someone smoking
for awhile?
Do you think it is hard for adult smokers to
quit? Why is it so hard? Can people get
really addicted to cigarettes?
Point to Ponder
Most smokers go through the same steps of
becoming hooked on cigarettes, trying
cigarette, smoking occasionally, becoming
hooked.
Point to Ponder
People who are heavy smokers(30 cigarettes
or more a day) generally find it difficult to
quite because they become both
psychologically dependant an physically
addicted to cigarettes.
50% of current cigarette smokers who try to
quit fail. Of those who succeed 50% return
to smoking after 6 months.
Social Acceptance of Smoking.
Is cigarette smoking becoming more or less
socially acceptable?
Point to Ponder
Fewer people smoke today than ever before.
More and more adults are giving up
smoking. In the last 25 years , over 40
million smokers have quit.
Non Smokers Rights
Where are people no longer allowed to
smoke?
Schools -Hospitals -Subways and Trains –
Supermarkets – Restaurants - Planes
Where has smoking been limited?
Point to Ponder
Nonsmokers are becoming more assertive
and vocal in their objections to smoking.
Sidestream Smoke (i.e. smoke from a
lighted cigarette between puffs) has a high
concentration of some of the same irritating
and hazardous substances than does
mainstream smoke (i.e smoke inhaled by
the smoker).
My Reasons For Not Smoking
We need five (5) volunteers.
Form a circle.
We’re going to keep an eye on you.
As soon as the eye ball is thrown to you,
state your reason for not smoking.