Israel Celebrates "A Day Without Smoking"
6/2/2009 2:49:26 AM
The Israeli Ministry of Education and the Israeli Cancer Association have created a special project to help prevent teenage smoking.
Students popular in their school, and willing to take part in the project, were trained to speak to their friends about the dangers of smoking and about addiction in general.
[Adi Karas, Participant of the Project]:
"They were really surprised by what we told them because they didn't really know what the cigarette contains or how dangerous it is to use drugs. And after we talked to them and told them stories about people who used drugs and what happened to them or what may actually happen to them, so they were amazed and some of them even thanked me."
The young guides prepared leaflets and signs warning about the dangers of smoking and other addictions.
[Shay Ben-Yitzhak, Participant of the Project]:
"I think we really gave them some information and most of the students know what smoking does. I think this knowledge will cause them to stay away from drugs and cigarettes."
The subject of smoking and addictions was dealt with in 130 Jewish and Arab schools in Israel.
[Dr. Shani Ofek, Society for the Prevention of Smoking]:
"Addiction to tobacco products or nicotine is a very hard addiction. In order to handle it we should combine therapy both by medication and behavioral therapy. The most successful treatment is to prevent the addiction. We now know about several factors, both social and genetics that contribute to the addiction."
Doctor Ofek claims that the younger the person, the stronger the sensitivity and the susceptibility to addiction.
Tobacco companies know this and their ads specifically target youngsters.
[Prof. Abraham Eliraz, League for Prevention of Lung Diseases and Tuberculosis]:
"People tend to say that smoking doesn't bother them, and it's true. Smoking doesn't bother people in their everyday life, but when we check people's larynxes we can see damage starting with the first cigarette. The damage increases permanently. Our body has ways of not showing outward signs of this damage, but the signs show up after some time has passed."
When they do, says professor Eliraz, it's almost impossible to reverse it - that's why it's much better not to start smoking.
[Sami, Student of the Project]:
"In the past children would start smoking because they didn't know about the dangers and damages involved. Now, after the program, students understood that smoking doesn't solve problems, it creates problems. Smoking shouldn't be used as a solution."
There is no knowing whether people will really stop smoking after this program, but they may, at least, give the subject some consideration.
NTD, Israel
