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Smoke-Screen Current events and "issues" provide so many learning and teaching opportunities, setting an example as they do which students can study, analyze, and draw their own conclusions from. Many of the articles I've posted address that, and this one is no different. Currently, a school in Wake County, Carolina, is making headlines with their progress in the attempt to ban smoking from their schools. The debate comes into play because they don't want to ban it from campus, they want to ban it from any school building or parking lot by any person at any time, 24/7. This article and lesson plan will help you work with your students to learn about both the health issues surrounding smoking, and the debate of student/campus smoking. With this knowledge, students will work together to create an informative CD-ROM that could be distributed to educators, students, and schools. We'll begin with a discussion that provides the necessary background for teachers, and then work into the actual lesson plan. The Campus Debate According to some surveys, the percentage of youth using tobacco products (smoking, chewing, or snuff) has experienced a slight drop. Many attribute this drop to the effectiveness of current drug education and campaigns like the "Truth:" commercials. Prevention is working. This is where the campus debate seems to come into play... how can we promote prevention of use when students are seeing tobacco use right in their own schools? Some schools are responding to the need for further prevention education with plans like dropping tobacco possession charges if the student agrees to take a course in health education and smoking. Education vs. Punishment. On both sides of the issue, both students and staff are speaking out. Some want more lenient practices which would promote prevention through the idea that if it's "not allowed" it becomes exciting. Others are strongly stating that any use is too much and want the campus 100% smoke free. Wake County School leaders take on campus smoking
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