Butt out, students say

Page 15

"We are here to talk about choice," said Matthew Gladue, a Caslan School Grade 9 student, during an anti-smoking presentation to the school's Grade 5 and 6 class on Jan. 20.

"We hope that you will make the right choice for you, and not what others believe to be right," said Gladue.

The presentation to the students was made on the annual anti-smoking awareness day dubbed "Weedless Wednesday" at the school, which caters to students from the neighboring Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement in northeastern Alberta. It was intended to teach the young children about the dangers of smoking.

Gladue, and Grade 7 studentS, Lisa Cardinal and Cameron Bourque, used information and statistics from a December youth conference in Cold Lake where smoking was a hot topic.

"We don't want anybody smoking," said Bourque. The trio showed a video to the class showing how smoking affects their lives.

"No offense, but did anyone tell you that your hair smells like an ashtray."

"I can give up smoking anytime I want to - I just don't want to."

"My taste buds were, like, dead."

This was the language used in the video. The video was geared to younger viewers and contained situations and language the younger children understood.

The video also showed how silly the reasons are for smoking and how easily kids fall for it.

"I lost five pounds due to smoking."

"It was pretty cool and adult to smoke."

"I heard it runs in families, so I thought I didn't have a choice."

To counter that, the Caslan students were shown comparison lungs of smokers and non-smokers. They heard cancer statistics and heard how much money the tobacco industry spends on advertising geared at the younger generation.

"Each year, they spend $80 million on advertising and promotion," Gladue said to the class. Some of that advertising, and perhaps a little peer pressure worked on Gladue, but in the end common sense won out for the young student.

"I tried it, but didn't like it so I quit," he said.

That may not be so easy for younger students. He said some students in Grade 5 and 6 are already smoking. There's even some that are lighting up at younger ages.

Cameron Bourque said he hopes the students get the message from the presentation and learn to butt out before it's too late.

"We hope we send the message not to smoke because it can hurt your body," Bourque said. The half-hour presentation, which also includes a questionnaire, short quiz and a question and answer session, isn't just for the Caslan School kids.

School officials are planning to have the students tour other schools in the division to make similar presentations. The trio of presenters is looking forward to teaching the lesson to other students.

"I want to make a good influence for the younger kids," said Cardinal.