Youth club activities - Tobacco and smoking
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
It's easy for teenagers to be tempted to start smoking. Vanessa Rogers shares her ideas on making them more aware of the dangers.
Diseases caused by smoking tobacco are the most preventable causes of death in the world. It is the only legal consumer product that can harm everyone exposed to it - and it kills up to half of those who use it as intended. In the UK, smoking kills five times more people than road accidents, overdoses, murder, suicide and HIV put together.
All young people will come into contact with tobacco at some stage in their life. They may have parents, siblings or friends who smoke and will need to make their own decisions to smoke or not. The aim of these activities is to give information, challenge attitudes and start discussions to help young people to make positive, healthy choices.
SMOKING - THE FACTS QUIZ
Aim: This quiz is a quick icebreaker to check out young people's existing knowledge.
YOU WILL NEED
- Pens
- Copies of the quiz sheet (below)
SMOKING - THE FACTS QUIZ
True/ False
1. Yesterday, smoking tobacco will have killed 180 people in the UK
2. Fewer than 10 per cent of lung cancer patients survive five years after diagnosis
3. 70 per cent of adult smokers light up their first cigarette of the day one hour after waking
4. Those who smoke up to 14 cigarettes a day are five times more likely to develop lung cancer
5. Young women in the UK are more likely to smoke regularly than young men
6. Year 7-11 pupils classified as regular smokers smoke approximately six cigarettes a day
7. In a 2007 survey, 58 per cent of young people said that they had tried smoking
8. Secondhand smoke (also known as passive smoking) can cause lung cancer
9. Smokers inhale 2,000 chemicals from a cigarette
10. Smoking during pregnancy restricts the baby's oxygen supply
11. The children of smokers are twice as likely to become a smoker as they grow older
12. Ex-smokers live longer than people who keep smoking
HOW TO DO IT - Hand out pens and a copy of the quiz, asking the young people to tick whether they think the statements contained are true or false.
Once everyone has completed the quiz go through the questions, taking time to discuss any points raised or answer any questions. Finally count up the scores. How much did they know? Which statement did most get wrong?
THE ANSWERS
1. False - 300 people in the UK die each day from smoking.
2. True
3. False - 70 per cent light up within 30 minutes of waking up.
4. False - They are eight times more likely.
5. True - According to the NHS survey Drug Use, Smoking and Drinking Among Young People in England 2007.
6. True - Year 7-11 pupils classified as regular smokers smoked an average of 44.1 cigarettes a week, approximately six a day.
7. False - The number has dropped to 33 per cent from 53 per cent in 1982.
8. True - Secondhand smoke is a mixture of sidestream smoke from the burning tip of a cigarette and smoke exhaled by a smoker, and can cause a wide range of serious medical conditions including lung cancer.
9. False - Smokers inhale more than 4,000 chemicals from a cigarette, out of which 400 are toxins, including carbon monoxide.
10. True - Carbon monoxide restricts oxygen essential for the baby's health and development and, because cigarettes restrict the oxygen supply, their heart has to beat harder every time the mother lights up.
11. False - According to the NHS, children of smokers are three times more likely to smoke.
12. True - Statistically, those that give up smoking have increased health benefits.
SMOKING BOTTLE
Aim: To demonstrate how tar collects in the lungs when nicotine is inhaled, using a smoking bottle.
YOU WILL NEED
- A filter cigarette
- Blu-Tack
- Cotton wool
- A large empty, clear plastic bottle
- Matches
- Leaflets for support groups and giving up information
HOW TO DO IT
Before the group arrives, set up your smoking bottle. You do this by taking the empty bottle and pushing cotton wool into it until you have a good size wad covering the bottom. Next, take the cigarette and place it into the neck holding it in place with Blu-Tack.
Explain that the aim of the session is to look at smoking and the effect it can have on your health. You may want to have a short discussion or conduct a quick poll to see how many of the young people smoke or have ever tried a cigarette. Refer to your group contract and the confidentiality rule that was agreed.
Bring out the smoking bottle and ask for a volunteer.
Invite the volunteer to light the cigarette in the top of the bottle. Once it is alight ask the young person to squeeze the sides of the bottle gently to simulate inhaling and exhaling.
Pass the bottle around the group inviting everyone to have a go.
As the bottle is passed around, ask the group to comment on any changes they see to the cotton wool. It will gradually turn brown as the tar is collected.
Review what has happened and ask the group to consider the effects smoking has on the lungs.
MESSAGES
Aim: This activity enables young people to explore the messages they have received about smoking and tobacco and how this has or hasn't influenced their personal beliefs and decisions.
YOU WILL NEED
- Six pieces of flipchart paper
- Blu-Tack
- Coloured markers
HOW TO DO IT
In advance, take the pieces of flipchart paper and label them "Friends", "Adult you live with", "Youth worker/Teacher" and "Media".
Start the activity by explaining that people learn about things from a wide range of sources. Information is given to us and we process it to form our own beliefs. These may be influenced by the people giving us the information.
Next, stick up the posters around the wall, hand each young person a marker and invite them to move around the room, writing messages they have received about smoking from the sources under the different headings.
Now, divide the main group into four and hand each group one of the flipchart sheets to discuss:
- What messages are they given about smoking?
- Are they consistent?
- How do these messages affect what we believe and the way we act?
- How reliable are they?
Allow time for discussion and then invite each group to feed back their findings. In particular, ask how it affects what young people think or believe about smoking. Which messages are most powerful and why?
SMOKING AND SOAP OPERAS
Aim: This activity considers the ways that smoking is portrayed in soap operas and the messages given.
YOU WILL NEED
- Access to the internet
- Flipchart and markers
HOW TO DO IT
To prepare for the session, collect pictures of characters from popular soap operas that smoke. For example, Dot Cotton from EastEnders or Deirdre Barlow from Coronation Street.
Divide the young people into small groups and hand each group a selection of characters. They should discuss and record the following:
- Describe the characters. Would this character be the same if he or she didn't smoke? Why or why not?
- Are smokers in the majority?
- What is the message about tobacco in the programme? Does it appear to be the normal thing to do? Does it appear glamorous?
- Should smoking be shown in soap operas?
Invite each group to discuss their conclusions. Point out that Hollyoaks has a no smoking policy, so no characters smoke. Encourage the young people to consider why this might be and the messages it gives to young people who are the target audience.
Take a vote to see who thinks that smoking should be shown in soap operas, asking the young people to consider facts such as the time that most soaps are shown, as well as health issues. Display the photos and flipchart sheets along with the results of your poll.
USEFUL WEBSITES:
Vanessa Rogers is a youth work trainer, consultant and author. Her books are available from www.nya.org.uk. For training and consultancy, go to www.vanessarogers.co.uk
