Glencoe Health © 2007Chapter 21:
TobaccoChapter 21 Parent Letter and ActivitiesDear Parent or Guardian, One of the greatest threats to teen health is tobacco. Smoking is the single
most preventable cause of early death. Approximately 450,000 people—almost
twice as many males as females, die each year from tobacco-related diseases.
Over 15 percent of middle school students and over 34 percent of high school
students use tobacco products; about 3,000 teens use
tobacco every day. In health class, we will be examining the effects of tobacco
products on the
body. We will explore tobacco’s harmful physical effects and the social
pressures that influence
teens to smoke. We will also discuss methods by which teens can avoid tobacco
use. The following topics will be discussed in this chapter: - The Effects of Tobacco Use.
- Choosing to Live Tobacco Free.
- Promoting a Smoke-Free Environment.
Please reinforce our classroom work by discussing with your son or daughter
one or more
of the following topics: Discuss with your teen any questions or concerns he
or she may have about tobacco use. What are the short and long term, negative
effects of tobacco use? If you are a nonsmoker, share with your teen
your reasons for making this choice. If you smoke, share the reasons you started
and discuss the effects it has had on your life. Encourage your teen to share
the reasons he or she believes some teens feel compelled to use tobacco and
reinforce ways teenagers can avoid the trap of using tobacco products. Discuss
methods to overcome peer pressure. Share strategies for your teen to defend
his or her right to a smoke-free environment. If your teen does use tobacco,
encourage him or her to join a cessation program. By stressing the consequences of tobacco use and the benefits of remaining
tobacco free, I hope we can work together to convince your child to remain
or become tobacco free. Thank
you for supporting our classroom work. Feel free to contact me if you wish
to discuss your
teen’s health. Sincerely, Health Teacher |