QUITS SMOKING PREVENTION AND CESSATION SECONDARY TEACHERS ...

QUITS SMOKING PREVENTION AND
CESSATION SECONDARY TEACHERS

GUIDE

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Purpose of the resource
This resource provides teachers with a range of teaching activities on smoking and its risks that may be used as a whole or part of a lesson. The activities are
designed to stand alone and do not need to be taught in any order. This gives the teacher the scope to plan and teach lessons that are most relevant and
appropriate to their pupils.
We know that most people who smoke started when they were at school. These lessons will offer pupils the facts and information about the risks and
consequences of starting smoking. It explores the influences, such as family and friends, who may encourage young people to start smoking. It will equip
them to make informed decisions when they are given the opportunity to try a cigarette. Pupils will have the opportunity to explore their attitudes and
opinions towards smoking and be able to listen to the opinions of others within a safe educational environment.

Links to the National Curriculum
Key Stage Three Science
Biology -Subject content

 the effects of recreational drugs (including substance misuse) on behaviour, health and life processes

Key Stage Four Science
Biology – Subject content

 the impact of lifestyle factors on the incidence of non-communicable disease

Whilst PSHE is not a statutory subject at present the DFE guidance for PSHE states that;

‘Schools should seek to use PSHE education to build, where appropriate, on the statutory content already outlined in the national curriculum, the basic school
curriculum and in statutory guidance on: drug education, financial education, sex and relationship education (SRE) and the importance of physical activity and
diet for a healthy lifestyle.’

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Index Page

Activity 5
8
The Facts and Figures about Smoking Quiz. 9
11
An assessment activity. What do pupils know about the risks of smoking? 12
14
The Chemicals that are in Tobacco.
15
Supports pupils learning about the number of harmful chemicals in cigarettes.
17
The Effects of Smoking on the Inside of the Body
19
Raises pupils’ awareness of the harm smoking can cause to internal organs
21
The Effects of Smoking on the Outside of the Body

Offers pupils an understanding of the more immediate effects of smoking. Opens up the
discussion about Botox and other cosmetic procedures.

The Celebrity Effect

Raises awareness of some of the ways tobacco companies try to market their products.

Tobacco Growing and the Environment

Encourages some independent learning looking and the effect the industry has on the
environment and the use of child labour.

Alethea and Amy’s Story

A case study so pupils’ can explore the impact a serious health condition can have on a
family.

Smoking and Reproductive Health

Develops pupils’ understanding of the long and short term effects smoking can have on
male and female fertility.

Alternatives to Smoking Tobacco in a Cigarette

Is smoking cannabis still smoking? What about shisha? Allows discussion about the relative
safety of alternatives to smoking tobacco in a cigarette.

The Benefits of Quitting Smoking

A positive ending. Enabling pupils to understand that giving up smoking is the most
important thing someone can do to improve their health. It also saves a lot of money.

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Resources 23
24
The Quiz 25
28
Copies for pupils. To be used with the powerpoint presentation 29
32
The Quiz- Information for Teachers 33
34
The answers to the Quiz plus additional information 35
36
Some of the chemicals found in Cigarettes information sheet
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An information sheet for teachers and pupils

List of Some of the Chemicals found in Cigarettes

A photocopiable list of the chemicals. Can be enlarged and cut into strips.

The Effects of Smoking on the Inside of the Body Diagram

A diagram showing the harmful effects of smoking on the inside of the body

The Effects of Smoking on the Outside of the Body Diagram

A diagram showing the harmful effects of smoking on the outside of the body

Amy and Alethea’s Story – Case Study

Can be photocopied to generate discussion.

Smoking and Reproductive Health Notes Sheet

A sheet to aid note taking from the power point presentation

Quit Smoking - The Health Benefits Information Sheet

Can be photocopied and cut into strips. Pupils may wish to take one home.

Facts and Figures about Smoking Quiz

Before the lesson starts remind pupils of the ground rules for PSHE. In particular not sharing personal information about themselves or other people that they know.
The Quiz can be used as an assessment activity to gauge how much pupils already know. It is also a starter activity that can lead to looking at some issues that the quiz
raises in greater depth.

Learning Intention –For pupils to be aware of some of the facts and figures that provide evidence about the harmful effects of tobacco. To dispel some myths and

misinformation

Activity Teachers notes Resources

Introduce the lesson by explaining that the class will complete a Be aware that some of your pupils will have family members that The Quiz- Additional

quiz about facts and figures about smoking smoke. There may be some who have lost people close to them who information for

were smokers. Try to maintain balance and sensitivity throughout the teachers- p25

lesson.

Give out quiz and ask pupils to answer all the questions as The Quiz- How much do

individuals. They can make an educated guess but should be you know about the

able to give reasons for their answers. effects of smoking

Go through the answers using the power-point presentation cigarettes ?- p24

Pencils, pens

How many chemicals are there in one cigarette? (4000) Even small amounts of chemical can build up in your body over time.

A show of hands –who got the right answer. For those who got

the questions right –where did they get their information from? Some irritate the lining of the lungs causing smokers cough, others

Were they surprised at the number of chemicals in a small affect the skin and other can cause cancer or heart disease.

cigarette?

How much time does it take a young person to be addicted to Addiction is when somebody has a need or desire to do or consume

cigarettes. Check with the pupils that they understand what is something even though it may be harmful or have negative

meant by “addicted” consequences. Addiction can be physical or emotional or both.

Ask the pupils what is the chemical in cigarettes that people are People are addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes. The more you

addicted to? smoke, the more your brain becomes used to the nicotine. This means

Show the answer (3 weeks) that you have to smoke more to get the same effect.

Hands up who got the right answer.

Is this surprising? Did people think it would take a longer or Because a young person’s body is still developing they find it easier to

shorter time? What reasons did pupils give for their answers? become addicted to substances. Once people start to smoke they find

it really difficult to give up

At what age do most people start smoking? (under 18) Most people who smoke started when they were still at school, some

as young as primary. Young people are a key target group for tobacco

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Hands up who got the right answer. Are they surprised? companies –they younger they are the more addicted they become
and the longer they smoke.
Why do they think most people who smoke start when they are However the numbers of young people under 18 who have started
in school? smoking has consistently fallen year on year. In 1996 13% under 18s
smoked in 2012 this has fallen to 5%. Does this mean that young
How many cancer causing chemicals are there in one people are more sensible and health conscience than their parents?
cigarette?(69) Pupils may wish to share stories about people they know who started
Hands up who knew the answer? smoking at a young age. Remind them to say “I know someone who”
Anyone surprised. rather than naming the person, and that person should not be
Can anyone name any of the chemicals in cigarettes that can identifiable.
cause cancer? Again these chemicals can build up in your body.
How many people smoke in the UK? (10 million) See Chemicals in Tobacco p 28 for more information
Again hands up, any surprises? Do pupils think that they will see
a smoke free generation? Remember that these numbers are falling, and this figure is made up
Do more men or women smoke? mainly of adult smokers.
(22% men, 19% women)
Is this surprising. Do they smoke for different reasons? It is important to put some balance into this statistic. Not everyone
Why has the percentage of women smokers increased? who dies of a smoking related cancer smokes –there are other causes
How often does somebody die of a smoking related cancer such as genetics or environment.
worldwide? Our knowledge about smoking has improved. We now know the risks
(once every 6 seconds) associated with passive smoking. People no longer smoke on public
Hand up who got it right. transport, in restaurants or their work place. People are aware that
Calculate roughly how many people this is a day. they should not smoke in front of children. Teachers don’t smoke in
the classroom anymore! As people become more aware the number
6 secs = 10 per minute of smoking related cancers are falling
10 per minute = 600 per hour However at least 40% of these cancers could have been prevented by
600 per hour = 14,400 per day not smoking. Smoking remains the biggest preventable cause of
cancer.

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Plenary
What statistic surprised the most?
We have found out a lot of facts and figures about smoking and
the damage it can cause to health. In the following lessons we
will look at some of the issues in more detail.

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The Chemicals that are in Tobacco

Learning opportunity; For pupils to be more aware of the range of chemicals that enter the body when smoking and the harm that they can cause

Activity Teachers notes Resources

Before the pupils arrive in the classroom display the list of Some of the Chemicals found in

chemicals. cigarettes teachers list- p28

List of chemicals p29-31

When the pupils are settled ask them what they think these Brief description of some of the harmful chemicals found in

chemicals are? tobacco.

Inform the pupils that there are over 4000 poisonous chemicals Ammonia –household cleaner

in each cigarette many of which are poisons and 69 of these are Arsenic: Used in rat poisons

known to cause cancer. Benzene: Used in making dyes, synthetic rubber

Butane: Gas; used in lighter fluid

If pupils have access to the internet - give each pair of pupils Carbon monoxide: Poisonous gas

one of the chemicals and ask them to find out the effects that Cadmium: Used in batteries

chemical can have on the body. Groups can then feed their Cyanide: Deadly poison

findings back to the whole class. DDT: A banned insecticide

Formaldehyde: Used to preserve dead specimens

Alternatively ask the group if there are any chemicals that they Lead: Poisonous in high doses

recognise the name of and what they know about it. Methoprene: Insecticide

Naphthalene: Ingredient in mothballs

Using the teacher resource sheet explain briefly to pupils what Nicotine: the chemical that causes the addiction to tobacco

the other chemicals are and how they can be harmful to health. Methyl isocyanate: Its accidental release killed 2000 people

in Bhopal, India in 1984

Ask the pupils what their reaction might be if somebody served Polonium: Cancer-causing radioactive element

them a cake containing these ingredients –would they still eat Tar: that is used for road surfaces –it is also the brown liquid

it? found in the lungs of smokers. (your school nurse may have

a “jar of tar” that you can show pupils)

Either as pairs or as small groups ask the pupils to list reasons

why people are prepared to allow these chemicals into their

body through smoking when they would not tolerate it in other

circumstances.

Take feedback from each group.

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Plenary - recap on the number of harmful chemicals in
cigarettes and that each time somebody inhales cigarette
smoke they are inhaling a cocktail of chemicals.

The Effects of Tobacco on the Inside of the Body

Learning Opportunity; For pupils to develop an understanding of the effect of tobacco on internal organs including the circulation system, the heart and liver

Activity Teachers notes Resources

Either as individuals or in small groups. A3 or flip chart paper.

Give out a large sheet of paper and ask the pupils to draw the Thick felt tips. (It is possible to

outline of a person. buy tabards with stick on organs

Then to draw and label the parts of the body that they think can – if your school has one of these

be harmed by long term use of cigarette smoking. then this is ideal for this activity)

Ask the pupils to add harm they think tobacco can cause to

each body part they have drawn.

Ask each group to feedback one of the parts of the body and The Heart and Circulatory System http://smokefree.gov/health-

the harl tobacco can cause. Smoking causes the arteries to get clogged up, making it effects

Suggested questions for pupils. more difficult for the blood to flow. This is a cause of high This shows the effects of

Most pupils will know some if not all of the health risks blood pressure (think about how much more difficult it is to smoking on health and the

associated to tobacco. squeeze water out of a bottle with a small opening than with positive benefits of quitting.

Does knowing the health risks influence the decision whether to a large one.)

start to smoke or not. Give reasons for their answers. Arteries take the oxygenated blood all around the body. If The Effects of Smoking on the

Does it make a difference that the changes that happen cannot parts of the body do not get the oxygen they will not work Inside of the Body p32.

be seen or felt and they happen over a long time? properly and eventually die off. The longer a person smokes

the more their arteries can get clogged up however giving

up smoking at any age will allow your body to repair the

damage done.

The Lungs
The lungs can be very badly affected by smoking as the small
particles from the tobacco cause irritation to the sensitive
lining. This can cause wheezing and shortness of breath.
Smoking can cause fatal diseases such as pneumonia,
emphysema and lung cancer. Smoking causes 84% of deaths
from lung cancer and 83% of deaths from chronic

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obstructive lung disease, including bronchitis

The Mouth. Smoking is the major cause of mouth cancers.
It also discolours teeth and harms gums so that they cannot
hold the teeth properly.
The Brain
There is an increased risk of stroke caused by damage to the
circulatory system.
Eyes
Increased likelihood of loss of sight due to poor circulation

Plenary
In small groups. Cardiologists operate everyday on people
whose hearts have been damaged due to smoking. Using the
information from this lesson apart from the obvious “don’t
smoke” what three key things would a doctor want young
people to understand about the harmful effects of smoking
Ask the group to feedback and then get the class to agree the
three most important points.

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The Effects of Smoking on the Outside of the Body

Learning Opportunity; Learning Opportunity: to gain greater awareness of the ways in which smoking can affect appearance

Activity Teachers notes Resources

In pairs or groups of no more than three. There will be pupils in your class who smoke or www.nhs.uk/Video/Pages/Smokingmakeover.aspx

Ask the pupils to draw the outline of a person’s body. whose family smokes. Even if pupils do not

smoke themselves they may live in smoky

On the left side ask the pupils to label the parts of the body homes and their clothes will smell of smoke.

that can be seen that can be affected by smoking tobacco This lesson requires sensitivity and do not allow

personal comments.

These can be short term – smelly hair, long term – gum

disease.

If you have access to the internet you can show the clip
www.nhs.uk/Video/Pages/Smokingmakeover.aspx
which shows how smoking will age the appearance of a
young smoker

On the right hand side ask the pupils to label the things that See The Effects of Smoking on the Outside of the
people do to reverse the effects of smoking. For example Body diagram p 33
teeth whitening and Botox. Ask pupil to think of examples
of celebrities that have had Botox or face lifts. Do they There are people who offer DIY Botox kits.
think it has improved their appearance? These can cause lasting damage. Botox and
facelifts are very expensive and do not last
Remind pupils that by giving up smoking the short term forever. After a number of treatments the skin
effects on the body such as smelly hair can be reversed. becomes dry and leathery and is more difficult
Also skin, hair and nails will start to look better. to repair.

Ask pupils to think of three reasons why somebody might
continue to smoke even though it has a negative effect on
appearance.

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The Celebrity Effect

Learning Opportunity; To be aware how celebrity and product placement influences decision making

Activity Teachers notes Resources
Paper pens
Introduction: Explain to the pupils that the selling of Tobacco companies spend between £70 -£100 million See
http://ash.org.uk/files/documents/ASH_108.pdf
cigarettes is a multi-million pound global industry. advertising their products world -wide. In 2012-13 the for more information

Each company invests millions of pound promoting UK spent £8.2million on anti-smoking campaigns.

their brands and encouraging people to start to

smoke. The amount of money they can spend on Tobacco companies own e cigarette companies and now

advertising far exceeds the budget for any country have a massive budget to market these as a safer

that is trying to promote not smoking as a healthy alternative to smoking. E cigarettes still contain

lifestyle choice. nicotine.

See ash.org.uk/files/documents/ASH_108.pdf for more

information.

QUIT’s position on e-cigarettes is that the evidence is

that they are much safer than smoking and are proving

an important route out of smoking for thousands of

smokers. They do not pose a significant risk to

bystanders and are not acting as a gateway to smoking

in young people. We will continue to monitor the

evidence and if the situation changes, we will revise our

position.

Ask half of the groups to write down famous people Pupils will know celebrities who smoke. They will see
that they know smoke. pictures of them through social media e.g. Tumblr.
Pupils will probably deny that this has any effect on their
Ask the other half to write down films or tv own decision making, but will agree that it may influence
programmes where they have seen characters younger pupils.
smoking.

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Ask the groups to feedback.

Ask the pupils whether seeing these people smoke
may encourage younger children to start smoking.
Think about celebrities such as Rhianna or Louis
Tomlinson from One Direction

Providing funding to film or television companies to
show characters smoking or to have their brand of
cigarettes on view is called product placement. It’s a
way in which tobacco companies try to influence
young people. Ask pupils if they can give other
examples of product placement.

Ask pupils if they think product placement works?
What do they think about tobacco companies trying
to market their products to young people?

Plenary If one person dies who smokes every 6 seconds, then
Summarise the lesson – tobacco companies need to the tobacco company needs to replace that smoker in
recruit new smokers to replace the ones that they order to maintain sales and profits.
have lost. They are not allowed to advertise in UK
and in other countries and are therefore trying to
find different ways to promote their products. In
other, often poorer, countries the rules are not as
strict and it is in those countries that they allowed to
continue to encourage children to smoke.

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Tobacco Growing and the Environment

Learning Opportunity; To understand the impact of tobacco cultivation on the environment and local economy.

Activity Teachers notes Resources
Resources
Give pupils access to the sites listed or print out as fact sheets. Sites 1 & 2 outline some of the issues surrounding tobacco Access to the internet and power point
or copies of information regarding the
cultivation. Site 3 belongs to British and American tobacco effect of tobacco cultivation on the
environment, child labour and tobacco
Ask the pupils if there is any difference between the three showing their responsible attitude towards tobacco farming. This can be taken from the
sites listed below. Either right click and
pieces of information? cultivation. select ‘open hyperlink’ or copy and
paste the links into your browser.
Why does site three show tobacco cultivation as a positive thing
1. www.ash.org.uk/files/docu
whilst the other two do not? What techniques have been used ments/ASH_127.pdf

by the writers to persuade the reader to agree with their point 2. https://www.pdx.edu/healthycam

of view? pus/sites/www.pdx.edu.healthyca
mpus/files/Environmental_Impact
Ask them to identify three points that support the farming of s.3.7.13.pdf
tobacco plants and three points that are against it.
3. British and America tobacco -
Building on their knowledge, in small groups (pairs or groups of sustainable tobacco farming
three or four) ask the groups to research and develop a
presentation. Each group should be given a different http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t
presentation to prepare. Ideally the groups will have access to &rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&
computers so they can research online and develop a 5 minute cd=26&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CE
power-point presentation. They should be trying to persuade AQFjAFOBQ&url=http%3A%2F%2F
the rest of the class to agree with their argument. www.bat.com%2Fsustainableagric
Topics for Presentations can include. ulture&ei=p7YrVdWTGsOP7Ab-
04HAAg&usg=AFQjCNGZgOkkXXU
 Tobacco farming and child labour uuxZUbNSjmMnwG_sFPA&sig2=M
 The welfare of workers growing tobacco Z07vTjHD_WJUpGMdhVFDw
 The effect of tobacco farming on the environment.
 The contribution of tobacco farming to local economies
Pupils may decide to choose their own aspect to research.
Pupils can identify examples of where tobacco companies
behave well and give examples of good practice.

Plenary – Ask the pupils which presentation was the most
persuasive and why.

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Alethea and Amy’s Story – Making informed choices

Learning Opportunity; The short and long term consequences of substance use and misuse for health and mental and emotional wellbeing on individuals, families

and communities including the health risks of second hand smoking

Activity Teachers notes Resources

Introduction The class teacher may not be aware of what is happening to Case story Amy and Alethea’s

This case study looks at Amy and her mum, Alethea. Alethea pupils out of school. There may be pupils in the class that Story.p34

has emphysema; she now knows that her smoking was most are experiencing a similar situation. The lesson should be

probably the cause of the disease. Smoking is the biggest taught with balance and sensitivity

preventable cause of emphysema.

Remember it is much healthier not to start smoking, but giving Emphysema is a lung condition in which tiny air sacs (alveoli)
up, especially when young will significantly reduce the risk of in the lungs fill with air. As the air continues to build up the
developing a range of life shortening diseases. sacs expand and may break or become damaged, making the
lungs less efficient. The patient becomes progressively short
Remind pupils of the ground rules. of breath. Smoking is the major cause of emphysema. It is
Ask the group to read the case study Amy and Alethea’s Story. also caused by air pollution and old age. It is more common
What do pupils think and feel about this story? in men than women, probably because more men than
Ask the pupils women smoke
Why did Alethea start to smoke?
Was the RAF aware of the dangers of smoking at that time? It is estimated that is costs Local Authorities £600 million per
Was the RAF partly responsible for Alethea’s condition? year to care for people who have chronic health conditions
What made Alethea give up smoking? caused by smoking
How does her condition affect the family?
Why do you think Alethea agreed to share her story with you?
Why is Amy so anti-smoking?
How do you think Amy feels when she sees her best friend and
other students smoking?
What do you think Amy can do to stop her friend from
smoking?
Plenary
Draw together the comments from pupils. Alethea started to
smoke before we were aware of serious health risks. She was
not able to make the same informed choice that young people
today are.
Explain that it is easy to look at facts and figures and say that
smoking is the biggest cause of preventable disease. It is when

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we see how it affects individuals or when it affects us personally
does the reality hit home, but for some people that may be too
late.

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Smoking and Reproductive Health

Learning Opportunity; The impact of smoking on reproductive health how lifestyle choices affect a foetus (Taken from PSHE Association Guidance)

Activity Teachers notes Resources

Smoking and reproductive health. Remind pupils of the ground rules. Especially those around

There has been a lot of research about the effects of smoking using correct formal language for parts of the body and

and the ability of a woman to conceive. Smoking can also affect sexual activity.

the reproductive health of the man, making it difficult for him

to have and sustain and erection and it can lower the sperm

count.

Smoking in pregnancy Some pupils will be aware that their mothers continued to Smoking and Reproductive Health Note
Research has looked at how smoking affects the development smoke when they were pregnant. Explain that we know Sheet p35
of the baby in the womb of women who smoke. We now know more about the harmful effects of smoking during
a lot more than we did when your mums were expecting you. pregnancy than we did then. Power point presentation –Smoking
You have much more information to enable you to make and Reproductive Health
informed choices about smoking than your parents had and
even more than your grandparents.

Remember that nicotine is highly addictive and some mothers
find it really difficult, if not impossible to give up smoking while
they are pregnant. It is much better not to start in the first
place!

Many people see planning for a baby or pregnancy as a great
opportunity to give up. Taking care of your unborn child is a
great incentive.

Give out Smoking and Reproductive Health note sheet. Pupils will need to consider their audience and the language http://www.nhs.uk/smokefree/why-
Show Smoking and Reproductive Health Power Point and ask
the pupils to make notes. and tone that they will use. quit/smoking-in-pregnancy

Either

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Ask the pupils in pairs or as individuals (three as a maximum) to
produce an information leaflet either for pregnant young mums
about the risks to the baby from smoking during pregnancy or
for young men about the risks of infertility in the future

Pupils may choose one or two aspect of the risks to the baby to
stop the leaflet becoming over complicated and wordy.

Ask the pupils to recap what makes a good information leaflet?

When the leaflets are complete ask them to share them with
the person sitting next to them or with the next group.

Or
With the pupils in pairs. One person is either pregnant or
planning to be pregnant, smokes and does not want to give up.
The other person is trying to persuade them to give up by
explaining the benefits for successful conception and a healthy
pregnancy.
Feed back
How convincing were the arguments?
Which were the most persuasive arguments?
Does the group think that men have a responsibility for a
healthy conception and pregnancy as much as women?

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Alternatives to smoking tobacco in cigarettes

Learning Opportunity; To understand the health implications of alternatives to smoking tobacco or cigarettes

Activity Teachers notes Resources
Large paper
Introduction Shisha Pens
Access to internet may be helpful
Shisha is a growing trend which some pupils may be although some research will not get
through the firewalls.
We are looking at the alternative ways that people may choose unaware of. Shisha is a glass-bottomed water pipe in which
http://www.talktofrank.com/drug/can
to smoke tobacco. fruit-flavoured tobacco is covered with foil and roasted with nabis

charcoal. The tobacco smoke passes through a water

Ask the class to suggest other ways that people may choose to chamber and is inhaled deeply and slowly; the fruit-

smoke or take in tobacco. flavoured tobacco tastes smooth and smells sweet,

enthusiasts say, making it an enjoyable and unrushed

Aim for suggestions on smoking cannabis, smoking shisha and experience. According to research carried out by the World

smoking e cigarettes. Health Organisation (WHO), the volume of smoke inhaled in

an hour-long shisha session is estimated to be the equivalent

Pupils may also suggest chewing tobacco. of smoking between 100 and 200 cigarettes. All the harmful

chemicals that are inhaled when smoking cigarettes are also

Split the class into groups and ask each group to choose one of inhaled when smoking shisha. It is not a safer alternative to

these methods, ensuring that all methods are covered. Ask smoking. It is illegal to advertise or to supply shisha to

them to word storm why people might choose to smoke this anyone under 18.

and also what do they think the health or other consequences

might be. Cannabis

When people smoke cannabis they mix the cannabis with

Ask each group to feed back what they have written. Add any tobacco. Therefore they are still at risk of harm from the

missing information and correct any misinformation or myths. tobacco as well as the added harm from smoking cannabis

as well. The active ingredient in cannabis is

tetrahydrocannabinol. This is the chemical that makes

people feel relaxed and calm. However because the way

that cannabis is being produced this chemical is more

concentrated and research is showing that cannabis use can

be linked to mental health problems such as anxiety,

depression and paranoia. Cannabis is a class B drug and it is

against the law to possess or sell it.

E cigarettes
E cigarettes are battery powered vaporisers that simulates

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the feeling of smoking. The user inhales a vapor that
contains nicotine, which is addictive, and other chemicals.
The vapor does not contain all the harmful chemicals found
in tobacco and is therefore considered to be safer than
smoking tobacco. Many people move to e cigarettes when
they are trying to quit smoking. Whilst e cigarettes are not
covered by the same laws as tobacco smoking it is still
against the law to sell them to young people under 18.
QUIT’s position on e-cigarettes is that the evidence is that
they are much safer than smoking and are proving an
important route out of smoking for thousands of smokers.
They do not pose a significant risk to bystanders and are not
acting as a gateway to smoking in young people. We will
continue to monitor the evidence and if the situation
changes, we will revise our position.

Chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco is a product that is made to be chewed.
You cannot chew cigarette tobacco. It is mainly associated
with the USA especially with Baseball. Babe Ruth, one of the
most famous baseball players, died from cancer linked to his
habit of chewing tobacco. As it is the mouth for so long it is
considered to be even more harmful than smoking tobacco.
It is linked with cancers of the mouth and throat. It is also
considered to be an anti-social habit as users tend to spit out
small pieces of tobacco as they chew.

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The Benefits of Quitting Smoking

Learning Opportunity; To understand the health and financial benefits of Quitting Smoking and how quickly the body and the bank account can recover

Activity – The Health Benefits Teachers notes Resources

In pairs, give each couple the strips of paper that outline the Pupils can get help to quit smoking via the school nurse who The Benefit of Quitting Smoking Sheet.

health benefits of quitting smoking. can refer them to the Stop Smoking Service. Most services P 36

Ask each pair to arrange them in time order, the one that takes will have workers trained to work with young people. The Photocopied and the right hand

the least amount of time first down to the one that takes the school nurse can do this confidentially without the need to column cut into strips.

most amount of time. inform parents – although some pupils may value support Paper and glue sticks

from the people that they live with.

When they have decided ask them to glue their strips onto the The Benefit of Quitting Smoking Sheet

sheet of plain paper they have been given. Nicotine patches are free from Stop Smoking NHS and they copies –one for each pupils or The

will prescribe the right dose for the young person. Benefit of Quitting Smoking Power

Then ask them to estimate how long they think it will take for Point.

these benefits to start happening.

Leaflets and information about local

Once most of the pairs have finished either go through the stop smoking service.

power point or the sheet. Ask the pairs to “mark” their work. 1

point for the right order, 1 point for the right time span. Contact details for school nurse.

How many did they get right?
What surprised them the most?
What other benefits do they think there might be? (Clothes
don’t smell, teeth aren’t yellow, more money etc.)

Ask the pupils where they would go for support if someone
they knew wanted to give up smoking. Make any local stop
smoking service leaflets available and remind pupils that the
school nurse can refer them to a stop smoking service and offer
additional support.

The school nurse might be willing to come in and share her role
in supporting pupils to quit smoking.

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Learning Opportunity – For pupils to understand the amount of money smoking can cost and to be aware of other things they could do with that money

Activity – The Financial Benefits Teachers notes Resources

Ask the pupils how much they think a packet of cigarettes is. Check the current price of cigarettes at the moment; this Calculators

may change with different budgets. The Benefits of Quitting smoking power

Using a calculator if a person smokes 10 cigarettes a day how point

much is that a week? Pupils may wish to discuss cheaper alternatives such as

A month? buying counterfeit cigarettes – these can be even more

A year? harmful to health as there is no way of knowing what is in

them.

What else could be bought with that money? They may raise the idea of smoking e cigarettes –
 this is still addictive even though they do not have
What if somebody smoked 20 cigarettes a day? the same number of poisonous chemicals.
 it still cost money that could be spent on something
Show the Power point The Benefits of Quitting Smoking. Allow else
space for comment and reflection  it is still not legal for a young person who is under
the age of 18 to buy them.

Be aware that there may be some pupils whose parents or
carers smoke. These are the financial choices that adults
make. Be careful not to criticise or pass comment.

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Resources

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The Quiz – How much do you know about the effects of smoking cigarettes?

1. How many different chemicals are there in a cigarette?

50 300 1000 4000 6000

2. How much time does it take to become addicted to cigarettes?

You can be addicted the first time you try them
3 weeks
6 months
1 year

3. At what age do most people start smoking?
In their teens
In their 20s
In their 30s

4. How many cancer causing chemicals are there in one cigarette?
23 69 124 4000

5. How many smokers are there in the UK?
(The are 67.2 million people living in the UK)
1 million 5 million 10 million 12 million

6. The greatest number of smokers are:
Men Women

7. How often does somebody die of smoking related cancer?
One every 6 seconds One every 6 minutes One every 6 hours One every 6 days

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The Quiz – Additional information for teachers

Question 1

How many chemicals are there in one cigarette? (4000)
These chemicals are present in very small amounts but can build up in your body over time.

Examples include

Ammonia – used in household cleaners such as toilet cleaners.
Arsenic: A poison, used to kill rats.
Butane: Gas; used in lighter fluid.
Carbon monoxide: Comes from car fumes. Stops blood getting all the oxygen it needs.
Cadmium: Used in batteries.
Cyanide: Another well-known poison. Features in many action spy films.

DDT: A banned insecticide.
Lead: Poisonous in high doses. Was removed from petrol as known to cause brain damage.
Formaldehyde: Used to preserve dead specimens.
Maltitol: Sweetener for diabetics.
Napthalene: Ingredient in mothballs.
Methyl isocyanate: Its accidental release killed 2000 people in Bhopal, India in 1984.
Polonium 210: Cancer-causing radioactive element.

Some of these ingredients irritate the lining of the lungs causing smokers cough, others affect the skin and other can cause cancer or heart disease.

Questions 2
How much time does it take a young person to become addicted to cigarettes? (3 weeks)

Addiction - Addiction is when somebody has a need or desire to do or consume something even though it may be harmful or have negative consequences. Addiction can be
physical and or emotional.

People are addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes. The more you smoke, the more your brain becomes used to the nicotine. This means that you have to smoke more to get
the same effect

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Because a young person’s body is still developing they find it easier to become addicted to substances. Once people start to smoke they find it really difficult to give up

Question 3
At what age do most people start smoking? (Under 18)

Most people who smoke started when they were still at school, some as young as primary. Young people are a key target group for tobacco companies –the younger they
are the more addicted they become and the longer they smoke.

However the numbers of young people under 18 who have started smoking has consistently fallen year on year. In 1996 13% under 18s smoked in 2012 this has fallen to
5%. Does this mean that young people are more sensible and health conscience than their parents?
Pupils may wish to share stories about people they know who started smoking at a young age. Remind them to say “I know someone who” rather than naming the person,
and that person should not be identifiable.

Questions 4

How many cancer causing chemicals are there in one cigarette? (69)
These chemicals build up in your body over time.
Examples of chemical in cigarettes that can cause cancer. Pupils do not need to know them all, but can discuss the most common.

 Tar - a mixture of dangerous chemicals
 Arsenic - used in wood preservatives
 Benzene - an industrial solvent, refined from crude oil
 Cadmium - used in batteries
 Formaldehyde - used in mortuaries and paint manufacturing
 Polonium-210 - a highly radioactive element
 Chromium - used to manufacture dye, paints and alloys
 1,3-Butadiene - used in rubber manufacturing
 Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons - a group of dangerous DNA-damaging chemicals
 Tobacco-specific nitrosamines - a group of carcinogens only found in tobacco
 Acrolein - used as a chemical weapon in World War 1 - and acetaldehyde - used in the industrial production of acid

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Questions 5
How many people smoke in the UK? (10 million)
These numbers are falling as fewer and fewer young people are taking up smoking.
Question 6
Do more men or women smoke?
(22% men, 19% women)
The percentage of women compared to men who smoke has risen over time. Are there more girl than boy smokers in your school? Men and women start smoking for
different reasons.

Question 7
How often does somebody die of a smoking related cancer?
(Once every 6 seconds)
It is important to put some balance into this statistic. Not everyone who dies of a smoking related cancer smokes –there are other causes such as genetics or environment.
Our knowledge about smoking has improved. We understand much better the risks associated with passive smoking. People no longer smoke on buses or trains or in
restaurants or public buildings. People are aware that they should not smoke in front of children. As people become more aware the number of smoking related cancers
will start to fall
However at least 40% of these cancers could have been prevented by not smoking. Smoking remains the biggest preventable cause of cancer.

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Some of the Chemicals that are found in cigarettes

There are over 4000 different chemicals in cigarettes, 69 of which are known to cause cancer.

Examples include

Ammonia –household cleaner
Arsenic: Used in rat poisons
Benzene: Used in making dyes, synthetic rubber
Butane: Gas; used in lighter fluid
Carbon monoxide: Poisonous gas
Cadmium: Used in batteries
Cyanide: Deadly poison
DDT: A banned insecticide
Formaldehyde: Used to preserve dead specimens
Lead: Poisonous in high doses
Methoprene: Insecticide
Naphthalene: Ingredient in mothballs
Nicotine – the chemical that causes the addiction to tobacco
Methyl isocyanate: Its accidental release killed 2000 people in Bhopal, India in 1984
Polonium: Cancer-causing radioactive element
Tar – that is used for road surfaces –it is also the brown liquid found in the lungs of smokers.

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List of the Chemicals found in Cigarettes

Copy and cut into strips – display before the pupils arrive in the classroom

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The Effect of Smoking on the Body

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The Effects of Smoking Tobacco on the Outside of the Body

Hair smells Need to wash hair more often
Hair starts to go thinner if hair goes thin –need a wig

Teeth go yellow Teeth whitening regularly
Gum disease can cause teeth Dentures
to fall out
Botox, face lifts
Skin gets more wrinkles Skin care products
Skin becomes dry and sallow
Skin care products
Skin becomes dry –elbows
and knees Using powders to clean nails,
Become very dry manicure.

Clothes smell of smoke Finger nails go yellow

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Amy and Alethea’s Story

This is based on a true story.

Amy has seen for herself the damage that smoking can do to your health. Recently her much loved Uncle died from heart disease linked directly to his
smoking habit of 20 cigarettes a day.
Amy’s mum Alethea has emphysema, which means that her lungs are filling up with fluid. This makes it difficult for her to breathe. Alethea has tubes
running through her nose into her lungs. These tubes are attached to a machine that makes sure she has enough oxygen to breathe. Alethea must stay
attached to this machine all the time. It is quite big and sits on a trolley that Alethea pulls around with her. This causes difficulties in doing the simplest of
tasks and makes going out almost impossible.
Alethea started to smoke when she joined the RAF in her 20’s. Nearly everybody smoked then and she discovered that people who smoked got more work
breaks. Alethea wanted to fit in with the crowd so she started to smoke. At that time the extent of the health risks from smoking were not as understood as
they are now. Alethea says that if she knew then what she knows now there is no way she would start to smoke.
Just after losing her brother to heart disease Alethea was diagnosed with emphysema. Alethea stopped smoking to slow the progress of the disease but her
body cannot repair the damage that has already been done. She regrets starting to smoke and she often says she feels as though she has let everyone down
as they cannot go out and take part in things that other families do. She feels she is a burden to her daughter who looks after her.
Amy has lived with the effects of smoking for a long time and would never consider smoking herself. She recently started college where a lot of the students
smoke. Her best friend has started smoking because she believes it will help her to stay slim and because her new boyfriend smokes. Amy’s friend says that
you have to live your life for now and cannot worry about what may happen in twenty years’ time.

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Smoking and Reproductive Health

Can smoking make getting pregnant more difficult?
Can smoking reduce a man’s fertility?
Why shouldn’t I smoke if I am pregnant?
Why did older parents like my mum and grandmother continue to smoke when they were pregnant?
How does smoking affect the health of an unborn child?
Can smoking around a young baby increase the risk of cot death?
My sister gets stressed, isn’t it better to have a few cigarettes to keep calm?
What if you cut down to just a few?
Summary – Help to give up

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Quit Smoking –The Health Benefits

Time Lapse Health Benefit

After 20 minutes Blood pressure will drop back down to normal.

After 8 hours The carbon monoxide levels in the blood stream will drop by half, and
oxygen levels will return to normal

After 48 hours The chance of having a heart attack will have decreased. All nicotine will
have left the body. The sense of taste and smell will return to a normal level.

After 72 hours Bronchial tubes will relax, and energy levels will increase

After 2 weeks Circulation will increase, and it will continue to improve for the next 10
weeks.

After 3 to 9 months Coughing, wheezing and breathing problems will dissipate as lung capacity
improves by 10%.

After 1 year The risk of having a heart attack will have dropped by half

After 1 year The ability to conceive will return to that of a non- smoker

After 5 years The risk of having a stroke returns to that of a non-smoker.

After 10 years The risk of lung cancer will have returned to that of a non-smoker.

After 15 years The risk of heart attack will have returned to that of a non-smoker.

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