Introduction

One of the most serious health problems facing our nation is cigarette smoking. Each year, tens of thousands die, and countless more suffer from chronic diseases, as a consequence of prolonged smoked.

Most smokers develop the habit during their teen years, so this project has been designed to provide information for middle school students specifically.

In this handbook, you'll discover what tobacco and nicotine are, the reasons why people begin to smoke, and the particular alure of smoking for teenagers. Additionally, there are links to other web resources. You can either read the handbook sequentially, or jump immediately to a topic of interest using the controls at the bottom of each page.

This work was created over a period of three months by two classes of eighth graders. After studying the hazards associated with tobacco in Mrs. Linda Sokol's Health classes, the students wrote the text and designed the graphics in Mr. Rick Donahue's Computer Technology classes. Art teacher Mrs. Dorothy Johnson provided guidance in the project's visual design, and Mrs. Jan Nowak, an English teacher, edited the text.

The visuals incorporate two differing styles. The silhouettes profile both smokers and non-smokers. The three color graphics, created in the style of artist Roy Lichtenstein, reflect student attitudes toward the dangers associated with tobacco.
 

Title Graphic by Ariana Kumpan

Illustrations by Jennifer Nowak and Yvette DeForest