"And Now I'm Addicted!": A Counselor's Plan To Teach Kids about Addiction.

A second grade boy was asked about a report that he had been seen smoking. His very serious response was, "Well, Mrs. Halverson, my brother and his friends held me down and made me smoke, and now I'm addicted. " As an elementary guidance counselor with 10 years experience, I am often amazed at the stories students tell me when confronted with their improper behavior. In our attempt to educate young people about the dangers of smoking, we try many different ways to get this point across. We conduct drug-free clubs, teach refusal skills, and educate students about the nature and effect of drugs. Statistics convince us that the elementary school is the front line in the battle to keep our children from smoking addiction. Paralusz (1998) reported that 3,000 young people start smoking every day, accounting for more than one million new smokers each year. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (1996) indicated that of these 3,000 new smokers, 1,000 will die prematurely from diseases related to tobacco use. Some 90% of new smokers are under the age of 18 (Paralusz, 1998). Between 1991 and 1994, smoking by 13 year olds increased by 30% (Marks & Landro, 1996). President Clinton (1998) stated that tobacco addiction and its related health disorders are one of the greatest public health threats facing Americans today. Ideally parents should discourage their children from smoking and talk to them about the short- and long-term effects including addiction (Olson, 1996). Schools need to reinforce that message. The young boy in my office came from a home where both parents smoked, and he was often left in the care of his 13-yearold brother who also smoked. Evidence shows that young people who begin to smoke know about the addictiveness of nicotine but don't believe they will become addicted (Paralusz, 1998) They do not understand the nature of addiction. Smoking in America has become increasingly inconvenient and uncomfortable for smokers as more work places, stores, airplanes, and even homes are becoming "smoke free". Many smokers are literally left "out in the cold" when it comes to satisfying their addiction. The plan discussed in this article is an attempt to help the students understand the physical and social consequences of smoking as well as what it means to be addicted. The Plan November 21, The Great American Smokeout Day, provided the perfect focal point for the experience. After obtaining the consent of the principal, I presented the rationale and plan to the fourth grade teachers at my school. All six agreed to participate in the study. I promised to provide them with factual information and statistics, which I got from the Internet, that they would share with their students. I also printed informational letters for them to send to parents that contained my phone number so parents could call me with questions. Each teacher would receive a timer and enough Chinese finger traps for their class. I ordered Chinese Finger traps to give students something to keep their hands occupied and out of trouble while they were standing outside. I estimated that every 30 minutes a "two pack a day" smoker needs to smoke. Working from this premise, a timer was set to go off every 30 minutes, at which time the students would have to put on their coats and file outside, collecting their Chinese finger traps on the way out. For 5 minutes, the students stood outside the school. This standing time was one point in the day when teachers shared some of the statistics I had compiled about the health effects, costs, and other consequences of smoking. After 5 minutes, the students returned to their class, turned in their finger trap, and resumed their work. The teachers decided to show a popular movie at the end of the day and leave it running during the time they were outside. …