Will reducing teen smoking result in less lung cancer? Is there a sure, safe way to convince teens not to smoke? What can be done to reduce teen smoking statistics in Baltimore? Making school campuses smoke free throughout Baltimore County has not been 100% successful in keeping teens from smoking!
Perhaps you may recall going to high school as a teen who smoked. Did you sneak a cigarette in the bathroom? Perhaps in more recent years you were one who would sneak outside to a secluded corner of the building. If you attended Dundalk High, perhaps you tried to hide behind one of the half-dozen trailer-classrooms to have that cigarette. Did you enjoy the challenge of trying to find a place to sneak that forbidden pleasure of inhaling nicotine?
Schools have made an effort to reduce teen smoking through banning smoking from their campuses for both staff and students. However, there always seems to be those who do enjoy the challenge of sneaking away to puff on that cigarette. Some schools have hosted awareness programs of the ill effects of smoking. They have had lectures and passed out pamphlets. But, has it helped?
Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts has, in recent years, developed a presentation made by the students regarding the health risks of smoking. The program is presented by the students to the student body as well as to the public through the local libraries. Part of the presentation includes a display of the items used in the manufacturing of cigarettes. Some parts of the presentation definitely makes one want to gag when thinking of putting those items into your body in anyway.
Trying to force control on when and where a student can smoke has not been totally successful. The education and awareness programs, such as the one at Patapsco, have had some impact but still students smoke. Now, more effort is being made in 2012, to encourage more students to get active in sports. And, through their sports program, emphasis is being put on keeping your body in optimum shape – especially your heart and lungs. Thus, there is a strong mandate for athletes not to smoke.
Will this new effort work? Will there be enough athletic programs available to teens to continue the push on not smoking? How many students can be enrolled in athletic programs in elementary and middle schools that will convince students not to smoke? Will these lessons carry over into high school with or without athletic programs? Will this new push on maintaining a healthy body weight and staying active through sports programs, finally be the answer to the problem of teen smoking?
Statistics have shown over the past 20 – 30 years, that as the number of smokers has been reduced so has the number of new cases of lung cancer. Maybe our current generation of teens will further help to eradicate lung cancer due to smoking!
Teens Rejecting Abusive Smoking Habits (Maryland TRASH) is working to reduce teen smoking through better enforcement of laws, education and awareness programs as well as other options to reach their goals.
Comments