TOBACCO AND NICOTINE ADDICTION

Approximately seventy percent (70%) of smokers want to quit smoking.²⁴ Why don't they just quit? Because it may not be that easy. According to a report from the U.S. Surgeon General, most teens who smoke want to stop.²⁵ Most young people who smoke regularly are already addicted to nicotine.²⁵" On the next screens, read information from two reports of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)—and see if you can answer the true/false questions—to better understand nicotine and addiction. ²⁶

TOBACCO AND NICOTINE USE
THE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES

You've probably heard that using tobacco and nicotine is unhealthy. Take a look at some of the diseases and health problems using tobacco and nicotine products causes.¹⁸.

THAT'S ME

There are 30 adjectives listed on the next page. Select the words that best describe you and drag them underneath the word "You!". Then, select some adjectives you think your friends would use to describe you, if you see some that apply. Drag them underneath the words "How You Think Your Friends Would Describe You".


WHAT I SEE IN ME

What you think about yourself is really important. It can affect how you act and how others see you. Take this survey to think about what you think of you.

DECISION MAKING

The one thing that you do every day from the time you get up until the time you go to bed is make decisions. Some are pretty simple (Who will I sit with at lunch today?), and some are more complex (Should I try out for the school play?). When it comes to making a decision, you always have choices or options. You need to think about what you want to happen (your goals), and what will (or could) happen for each choice or option—these are the consequences of your decisions.

SAYING "NO" TO TOBACCO & NICOTINE

Saying "no" to friends who are pressuring you can be hard to do. How you respond to them depends on the situation and what feels right-or wrong-to you. Deciding what to say can be even more difficult if you feel you are on the spot or everyone is watching. Practicing what to say can help you think about how you might say "no" in different situations.

SAYING NO

You've been reading about how friends can influence our decisions and the way we think. Sometimes this can be a good thing, but sometimes it causes us to make the wrong choices.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

What influences your decisions? Maybe it's what's important to you. Maybe it's your family, the law, or knowing what's right and wrong. Then there are your firends. Peer pressure can have a big influence on decisions made by people of all ages. Friends can pressure you to do something positive, like volunteer work. Or, they can pressure you to do something negative, like smoke. When your friends push you to do something by challenging, encouraging, teasing, or nagging you, that's peer pressure.

THINKING ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS

Have you ever thought about why your friends are your friends? Many times our friends can be quite similar to ourselves. But sometimes the saying, "opposites attract," applies as well. This is an activity that will help you think about who you choose as friends and why.

TOBACCO & NICOTINE -
USING IT IS UNHEALTHY!

When making a decision, you have to think about the risks and consequences before you act. For example, if you think about cheating on a test because you didn't study, what are some of the possible consequences or risks involved?

You could get caught. You could fail or get detention. Your parents might even ground you.