MY PERCEPTION!

TOBACCO AND NICOTINE USE
THE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES

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

FACING TOUGH SITUATIONS

Sometimes preparing for situations before they happen can help you deal with them when or if they do happen. For example, learning ways to say "no" to your friends who pressure you to do things you don't want to do can be helpful.

THINKING YOUR WAY TO GOOD DECISIONS

Imagine yourself in the two hypothetical situations you’ll see on the next screens. Read each one and then discuss the questions that follow with your group. Talk about what you think might be the consequences for the friendships, and how you might deal with the consequences if this were to happen to you.

WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME

On the next page, you will see a list of phrases that describe things people may value, or find important.

Low Importance        Medium Importance        High Importance

Where you put the phrases will show what you find important.

PEER PRESSURE AND INFLUENCE:
DO YOUR FRIENDS AFFECT YOUR DECISIONS?

Peer pressure can influence a person's decisions. Friends might pressure you by teasing you or giving you a lot of attitude. Other times you might feel pressured to do something you don't want to do because you think your friends want you to do it, but they don't actually say or do anything to encourage you at all. This is peer influence — you make a decision to do something because you think your action will make you fit in better.

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.