May 26, 1999
Kids huff and puff, learning effects of smoking
By Cathy Willoughby
Staff Writer
Gagging and choking fourth graders at Krout Elementary learned what the effects of smoking can be.
They were participating in an exercise that required them to breathe through cocktail size straws, first while they had been seated at their desks and then after completing 10 jumping jacks. Their "instructors'' were Columbian High School students, who had been trained to spread the news that smoking and tobacco usage, is "not cool'' and dangerous to their health.
The group, "TATU,'' which stands for Teens Against Tobacco Usage, is sponsored by the American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association and the American Heart Association.
Members trained 17 high school students in January from the city and county schools to present the dangers of tobacco use to impressionable youngsters in the elementary grades.
Barb Carlo, from the American Cancer Society, said the group is hoping to eventually reach all of the elementaries in Tiffin and more of the rural schools. She said it was sometimes difficult to coordinate with the high schools to release the students to participate in the program.
"Last year we did a program at Hopewell-Loudon, Bettsville, Seneca East and St. Wendelin's, and they have continued this year,'' Carlo said. "These students are not seniors, so we want them to get a couple of years in. We are doing a good job of covering the county with a number of schools.''
The students were given demonstrations of exercises they could use with the youngsters and met in small groups and practiced their delivery technique in front of the group. "Remember that we are fourth graders,'' Carlo stressed. "Remember the attention span that they have.''
Fourth graders in Jan Foy's classroom were treated to sophomores Abby Miller and Richie Martin Friday morning. They stood in front of the blackboard and told the children about themselves, to get acquainted and to dispel some myths that the students may have about high school students.
"Why do you think kids start to smoke?'' Martin asked the classroom. "Because they think they are cool,'' "Because their friends do it,'' "They think that they will be OK'' and "Their role models do it,'' were all given as reasons by the fourth graders.
Martin commented on the student's statements. "A number of you said peer pressure,'' he said. "And that is a good answer because a lot of kids want to look older, but there really aren't that many people in the high school who smoke, maybe 19 percent.''
Next on the teen's agenda were the effects of smoking. Statistics were cited by both Miller and Martin, including that smokers die younger, they are at a higher risk of lung cancer, women are hurt by smoking (women's death rate has risen 42 percent due to smoking related diseases), and the incidence of emphysema.
They explained that emphysema is a lung disease that decreases the lung's capacity. The youngsters were then given the straws to illustrate the effects of the disease.
"Breathe through the straw as long as you can'' Martin said. "In and out through the straw only.'' After the class was left gasping for breath, Miller said, "It was really hard to breathe, wasn't it? That's how people with emphysema breathe.''
"Now we want you to do 10 jumping jacks, then jog in place for 30 seconds,'' Miller said. After breathing through the straw the second time, the children did not last as long and were noticeably struggling to catch their breath.
"That is what happens when you try to play sports and smoke,'' Martin told the wide-eyed group. "It will decrease your ability to play sports and hurt your endurance.''
Both teens worked with the children to practice the art of saying "No'' so that they can resist offers from peers to start smoking. After the children listed ways they could say "no," Martin added several more.
"You can say, 'No thanks, it's just not me,''' he said. "Or 'I have something else going on right now,' or 'I think it's really gross.'''