Smoked Out or Sucked In?
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By Carly G - NMIT
Captain Cook traded it, Jennifer Aniston smokes it, and who knows, one hundred years from now, robots may manufacture it, but the fact remains the same, tobacco is a killer.
On the 31st of this month, World Smoke Free Day is alerting people to the dangers of smoking and offering help to those wanting to give up.
This year's theme, "Sucked In", relates to the fact that tobacco companies are sucking in smokers and taking their money, but not caring two puffs about the general health of the addict.
Tobacco companies are especially targeting a younger market by adding sweeteners such as liquorice, vanilla, apple juice and caramel in order to hook in new smokers.
Kids as young as twelve are taking up occasional and regular daily smoking because the flavour isn't as harsh on the taste buds as it used to be.
A positive quit-smoking approach in Nelson secondary schools is a programme fun by Smoke Free Programme facilitator Lorraine Moir. Students from year 9 to 13 are invited to join the voluntary programme, which runs during lunch times, once a week for a term, to help them quit the smoking habit. The programme offers support and has a 30% success rate. Throughout the programme, students are shown videos associated with smoking and are taught about the damage smoking can cause.
Whether you're young or old, it's never too late to give up, so if you're chained to cigarettes, it's time to take notice of World Smoke Free Day and break the cycle.
May 2000