Tobacco companies spend nearly $1 million dollars an hour to advertise their products Using has declined among adults Use Targeted Marketing- aimed at particular group of
people (teens, sports fans, outdoor enthusiasts) Usually use attractive people, athletes, and people
doing exciting things to advertise their product Tobacco companies eye children and teens for
profitable buyers Result: lawsuit in 1998 tobacco companies cannot use
cartoon characters to attract teens and children.
Stress- teens think it will help them cope and relax with stressful things.
Weight- think tobacco will help them maintain or lose weight. It reduces capacity to do aerobic exercise and sports
Image- think it makes them feel grown up, but it is not “cool”
Independence- sign of independence, but it actually makes users become dependent on unhealthy and costly habits
Peer acceptance- want to fit in, but most teens don’t smoke
Imitate a role model- be like someone, but people don’t realize their role models wish they could quit smoking
Peers- powerful influences Peers is one of the most powerful sources to influence tobacco use Peer pressure is the feeling to do something because
your friends want you too This is the MAIN REASON teens first try cigarettes Most are offered in middle and high school- some
will try and get hooked and ultimately die from it
Entertainment- portray smoking as appealing, but these items are paid millions of dollars to feature products
Advertising- strong evidence advertising influences teens Family member and other adults- people close to them do
it, so they think it’s OK to do too• All influence attitude about smoking because they make it
look cool or glamorous.• You know the dangers of tobacco use, but it’s difficult to
not be curious• Learn to see through messages
Public Health Costs- tobacco related illnesses increase cost of medical care for everyone
Pay higher health insurance rates Have more doctor and dentist visits Cost to Nation Economy – people miss work due to
tobacco related illnesses and produce fewer goods and services, companies lose money
Pregnancy and Tobacco- risk of low birth weight, premature delivery, SIDS higher in infants of parents that smoke
• Cost of tobacco itself
To prevent more and more people dying because of tobacco use:It is against the law to sell tobacco products to anyone under 18Forbid smoking on school groundsParents regulate own rules at home for tobacco use
• In groups brainstorm negative and positive ways in which smoking might affect your social lives. Include other people and think of all possible consequences
• Causes awkward and risky situations and creates tension among family and friends.
Situations of social strain: Being with someone underage breaking the law
and buying cigarettes even though you do nothing wrong
Smoking even when it bothers others around you Pressure to use tobacco even if you don’t want too
• List privileges you have or things you enjoy doing that could be in jeopardy as a result of using tobacco products.
• List beside each one how you would feel if it was taken away.
Nicotine is a poisonous drug found in tobacco that enters the bloodstream.
It only takes seconds to reach the brain Nicotine attaches to receptors that send messages
through the body for your heart to beat faster and blood pressure to rise
People develop a tolerance to the drug and need more and more to get the same effects
Body will become used to nicotine and cannot feel normal without it causing an addiction.
Addiction is condition of a physical or psychological dependence for the drug
• When have you craved food or a drink? How hard was it to focus and forget about your craving? How would you feel seeing other eat and drink but you can’t? People develop this craving for nicotine, like we do food and water.
70% of adult smokers say they want to quit each year Of the 50% of adult smokers to try to quit, 7% are
successful By age 18, 2/3 of teens who started smoking say they
regret smoking ½ will try to quit but will fail The younger you are when you quit, then more time
your body has to recover Usually takes several attempts to quit Once users quit, withdrawal will occur- dizzy,
depressed, trouble sleeping Some crave the product years after quitting
Gradually reduce the number of cigarettes smoked or frequent use or smokeless products over time
Cold turkey- stopping all at once Nicotine Patch- medication that allows the users to give tobacco
up right away while gradually cutting down on nicotine Nicotine Replacement Therapy- medicine that delivers small
amounts of nicotine into the body (nicotine gum) Support groups and counseling Prescription NRT or patches (inhalers and nasal sprays) Regular exercise program focusing on individual health• Most OTC and Prescription nicotine medicines have only been
tested on adults, so teens under 18 should talk to the doctor first• Sometimes combinations work better –NRT ( help with physical
addiction) and support group (help adjusting mentally to not smoking)
• Deep Breathing- Put your hands on your stomach and take a deep breath through your nose, filling the lower part of your lungs and then your chest. Your stomach should expand under your hands. Pause when your lungs are filled; slowly release the air through your nose.
• ***Focus on breathing when going for a test or having trouble sleeping.
• Imagine you have to use the bathroom every 45 minutes. After doing whatever for an hour, you feel uncomfortable if you don’t go to the bathroom, but each time you use the bathroom you have to pay 20 cents. Is this a problem or something you would do? How can this relate to cigarette addiction?
• Tobacco use is documented as far back as 600-100 CE, but it wasn’t until 1964 that the U.S. Surgeon General linked smoking to lung cancer
Lifestyle choices you make now affect future health and happiness
Knowing the dangers of tobacco use and being prepared to refuse it are the best ways to ensure a healthy life
• What drug is addictive? Why is it tough to quit? What are 2 strategies for quitting? What is one healthy habit to form?
If you have never used tobacco, DON’T START It is easy to become addicted Using tobacco is deadly It makes your skin, hair, breath, and clothing
smell Makes teeth yellow It is expensive Making the choice to stay tobacco free is NOT
one you will regret!
Choose friends who don’t use tobacco- don’t spend time people who use it so that you aren’t pressured too
Avoid situations where tobacco products may be used- Give reasons to not go to parties where it might be
Use refusal skills- Say no, explain reasons for not trying, leave
• What are positive peer pressures? How can you help someone kick the habit? How can you prevent someone from starting?
• Can you be friends with someone who smokes? Why or why not? What would you say to a good friend who started smoking?
• Write a list of past situations where you have felt pressured to use tobacco or if you can imagine yourself feeling pressured to use tobacco. How would you or did you handle the situation and how can you handle it in the future?