Why Smoking Stinks!

Smoking is one of the worst things kids or adults can do to their bodies. Yet every single day nearly 4,400 kids between the ages 12 and 17 start smoking. Why? There's more than just one simple answer. Some kids may start smoking just because they're curious. Others may like the idea of doing something dangerous - something grown-ups don't want them to do. Still others might have grown up around lots of people who smoke and they might think it's the way to act like an adult.

You've probably heard that smoking and tobacco use can cause cancer and heart disease. That's true, but sometimes kids can't really think that far into the future to worry about an illness they might not get for 20 years. So let's talk about the problems that might affect kids more quickly:

• bad breath
• yellow teeth
• smelly clothes
• more colds and coughs
• difficulty keeping up with friends when playing sports
• empty wallet - cigarettes and tobacco products are very expensive!

Let's find out more about cigarettes and tobacco.

What Are Smoking and Smokeless Tobacco?

Tobacco (say: tuh-ba-ko) is a plant that can be smoked in cigarettes, pipes, or cigars. It's the same plant that's in smokeless tobacco, known as dip, chew, snuff, spit, or chewing tobacco. Smokeless tobacco is not lit and breathed in like tobacco in cigarettes, pipes, and cigars. Instead, smokeless tobacco is put between the lip and gum and sucked on inside the mouth.

Tobacco contains nicotine (say: nih-kuh-teen), a chemical that causes a tingly or good feeling - but that feeling only lasts for a little while. Nicotine is also addictive (say: uh-dik-tiv). That means that if you start to use nicotine, your body and mind will become so used to it that you'll need to have it just to feel OK.

Anyone who starts smoking could become addicted to it. If you're addicted to something, it's very hard to stop doing it, even if you want to. That's why so many adults have a hard time quitting smoking.

Why Is It So Bad for You?

Cigarettes and smokeless tobacco kill hundreds of thousands of Americans every year. You know those rubber bracelets that were created to bring attention to different causes? The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids created a red one with the number 1,200 on it. Why 1,200? That's the number of people who die each day due to smoking.

The nicotine and other poisonous chemicals in tobacco cause lots of diseases, like heart problems and some kinds of cancer. If you smoke, you hurt your lungs and heart each time you light up. It also can make it more difficult for blood to move around in the body, so smokers may feel tired and cranky. The longer you smoke, the worse the damage becomes.

The Other Cost of Smoking

Using tobacco eats up a lot of money, too. A pack of cigarettes costs $4, on average. That means, even if you buy just one pack a week, you'll spend $208 in a year. Some people smoke a pack a day, which adds up to $1,460! That's a lot of CDs, computer games, and clothes.

What's It Like?

Usually, people don't like smoking or chewing tobacco at first. Your body is smart, and it knows when it's being poisoned. When people try smoking for the first time, they often cough a lot and feel pain or burning in their throat and lungs. This is your lungs' way of trying to protect you and tell you to keep them smoke free. Also, many people say that they feel sick to their stomachs or even throw up. If someone accidentally swallows chewing tobacco, they may be sick for hours. Yuck.

What if My Friend Smokes?

If you have a friend who smokes or uses tobacco, you can help him or her by encouraging the person to quit. Here are some reasons you can mention:

• It will hurt his or her health.
• It will make his or her breath stinky.
• It will turn his or her teeth yellow.
• It will give him or her less endurance when running or playing sports.
• It's expensive.
• It's illegal to buy cigarettes when you're underage.

If you think it will help, you could print out articles like this one for your friend. He or she may be interested in learning more about the dangers of smoking. But the person also could be a little angry. No one likes to hear that they're doing something wrong. If your friend gets upset, don't push it too much. In time, he or she may realize you are right.

In the meantime, it could help to talk with a parent or a school counselor to say you're worried about your friend. When your friend is ready, a grown-up can help him or her quit for good. If your friend decides to quit, support him or her. You might say it's time to kick some butts!

Updated and reviewed by: Barbara P. Homeier, MD
Date reviewed: February 2005
Originally reviewed by: Neil Izenberg, MD

Source: http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/watch/house/smoking.html

Tobacco: Global Trends

ASH Briefing: January 2006

Tobacco prevalence and consumption worldwide

The World Health Organization estimates that there are around 1.3 billion smokers in the world, of which almost 1 billion are men.¹ This represents about one third of the global population aged 15 and over[1] and the vast majority of these people, around 84% or 1 billion people live in developing countries.[2]

In China, alone, there are about 350 million smokers (60% men and 3% women), more than the entire population of the United States of America.[3]  If the current smoking patterns in China continue, around 100 million Chinese men now aged 0-29 will die as a result of their tobacco use.[4]

If there are no dramatic changes in cessation rates, no new interventions, and if children start smoking at expected rates, then the current figure of 1.3 billion smokers worldwide is predicted to rise to 1.9 billion consuming more than 9 trillion cigarettes by 2025.⁴

Estimated numbers of smokers in millions and smoking prevalence for people aged 15 and over in the world (latest available data)[5]

Death and disease caused by smoking

Tobacco kills more people than AIDS, legal and illegal drugs, road accidents, murder and suicide combined.⁵ Currently around 5 million people worldwide die each year from tobacco-related causes. In comparison HIV/AIDS is responsible for 3 million deaths per year.

By 2030, tobacco is expected to be the single biggest cause of death worldwide, with an estimated 10 million people world wide dying of tobacco related causes. Around 3 million of these will occur in the developed world and 7 million in developing countries.4

Since the 1950s, more than 70,000 scientific articles have shown that prolonged smoking causes premature death and disability worldwide.  Overall, one in two smokers will die prematurely, with one quarter dying in middle age, losing 20-25 years of life.

Smoking alone is estimated to have caused 21% of deaths from cancer worldwide.[6]

Smoking was linked to 856,000 deaths worldwide from lung, bronchial and tracheal cancers, 184,000 oesophageal cancers and 131,000 oral cancers in 2001.⁶ In developed countries, cardiovascular disease is the most common smoking-related cause of death. Smoking is currently responsible for a higher number of deaths in high-income countries (29%) than in low-mid income countries (18%) because of the shorter history of smoking, and in particular the lower prevalence of women smoking in these regions. With increasing numbers of women smokers and overall prevalence in some regions rising, the number of smoking-related deaths will continue to grow for many decades yet.

The Global Tobacco Industry

Worldwide over 15 billion cigarettes are smoked every day.[7]  Government-owned China National Tobacco is the world’s largest producer of tobacco, and accounts for one third of the global market alone. China produces more than the next nine producing countries put together.[8]

Whilst tobacco is grown in over 125 countries, three quarters is grown in developing countries5. Tobacco use and production has firmly moved from the developed to the developing world.    

World’s 6 leading producers of un-manufactured tobacco in 2004[9]

In 1998, world production of cigarettes was 5.58 trillion. This was equivalent to 948 cigarettes per person or 2.6 cigarettes per day for every man, woman and child.[10] The US Foreign Agricultural Service reports show that this number has reduced to 868 cigarettes or around 40 packets each in 2004.¹⁰  Worldwide per capita production has not been this low since 1972.¹⁰

Total World Cigarette Production (in trillions): 1960 - 2004[11]

* Note: during the 48 year time span, cigarette production rose from 1.6 trillion in 1950 to 5.68 trillion in 1996.

Tobacco industry activity in developing countries 

Globally there has been a shift in the tobacco market from developed countries where people are stopping smoking towards developing countries where sales are continuing to rise.8  Tobacco companies consequently have been expanding their international operations into Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Arab nations and Africa for some time.[12]^,8 

The Asia Pacific region is the fastest growing tobacco market in the world, with four out of the 10 rapidly growing being: Malaysia; Indonesia; Pakistan and Vietnam.8

The tobacco industry has been able to enter these new markets through the privatisation in many countries of previously state owned tobacco companies. The expansion into these new markets is often accompanied by a lack of regulation around tobacco, especially with respect to marketing to youth and lack of health warnings.[13]

Advertising in these developing countries tends to reflect the aspirations of the poor to emulate Western nations. For example in Africa brand names include ‘Diplomat’ and ‘Embassy’ in Ghana, ‘High Society’, ‘London’ and ‘Pal Mall’ in Nigeria and ‘Sportsman’ in Kenya.[14]  The results of this increase in expenditure on advertising by the tobacco companies is increased advertising as well as increased consumption and therefore a corresponding impact on human health.

Over the last decade, Altria (the parent company of Philip Morris) has adopted a strategy of brand standardisation across the international markets, with some regional adaptation and tailoring of advertising messages. These messages transcend specific regional values and have been shown by market research as crucial for young people to commence smoking.¹⁵  Young adult values are described as: independence, coming of age, hedonism, freedom and comfort.[15]

Domestic consumption of manufactured cigarettes in 2004 Top 6 countries and the rest of world (billions of pieces)¹¹

Whilst China is still the largest tobacco consuming nation in the world, Russia has been one of the few countries to have a growth in sales from 2002 to 2004. Worldwide, in 2004 Bulgaria had the highest per capita cigarette consumption of 2,769 cigarettes smoked by each citizen according to Euromonitor.8

India is also a large consumer and producer of tobacco. However, much of this tobacco is consumed in the form of hand rolled cigarettes known as bidis.

Female smokers

The tobacco industry targets women by using seductive images of vitality, slimness, emancipation, sophistication and sexual allure. They also create feminised brands for women; examples include ‘Glamour’ and ‘Vogue’[16] and cigarettes which are extra-slim, light coloured or menthol.[17]

Although worldwide fewer women smoke than men, the number of women smokers has been increasing for some time, particularly in developing countries. Recent increases in smoking prevalence by women have been reported in Cambodia, Malaysia and Bangladesh and women’s smoking rates are higher than men’s in five countries: the Cook Islands, Naura, Norway, Papua New Guinea and Sweden.¹

In developed nations (such as Norway and Sweden) this reflects the substantial decline in male smoking prevalence while the rates of decline among women have been slower.

A more typical scenario has been the convergence of male and female smoking prevalence in many countries¹ and this looks set to stay this way for the foreseeable future.

Tobacco Economics

The tobacco industry often uses economic arguments to persuade governments, the media and public that smoking benefits the economy. It is often claimed that if control measures are introduced then revenues will fall, jobs will be lost and other such arguments.5 

While governments worldwide generally recognise the health consequences of tobacco smoking, many countries, particularly tobacco producing nations, have been reluctant to implement measures which they fear would have adverse economic consequences. 

However, as the World Health Organization points out, money spent on tobacco cannot be spent on basic human needs such as food, shelter, education and health care.  Tobacco has the ability to worsen poverty among users and their families since tobacco users are at much higher risk of falling ill and dying prematurely, depriving families of much-needed income. It also imposes additional costs for health care.  In many countries, workers spend a significant portion of their household income on tobacco: an estimated 10% in Egypt and 11% in China.[18]

Growing tobacco is also very labour intensive and although the tobacco industry provides jobs for thousands of people, the vast majority employed earn very little.  For a Brazilian tobacco farmer to earn the equivalent of what a tobacco company director earns in one day would take around 6 years. To earn the Director’s equivalent annual salary he would have to work for 2,140 years.18

A report by the World Bank[19] refuted economic claims by the tobacco industry showing that:

§          Falling tobacco consumption does not adversely affect economies because money formerly spent on tobacco will be spent on other goods and services. 

§          Raising tobacco taxes is a good health objective because it leads to a fall in consumption.  However, it also leads to a rise in tobacco revenues.  This is because addicted smokers respond relatively slowly to price rises.  The World Bank estimates that increases in excise taxes of 10% would increase tobacco tax revenues by about 7% overall.

§          Even where smuggling occurs at high rates, tax increases bring greater revenues and reduce consumption. This allays the common concern that higher taxes will lead to massive increases in smuggling thereby keeping cigarette consumption high but reducing government revenues. Therefore, the appropriate response is not to reduce taxes but to crack down on criminal activity.

§          Another concern is that increases in tobacco taxes have a disproportionate impact on the poor.  While it is true that tobacco taxes take up a greater share of the income of poor smokers than of the rich, it is also important to note that poor consumers are usually more price responsive than rich consumers, so their consumption of cigarettes will fall more sharply following a tax rise.

Global sales volume: Top five cigarette companies, 2003[20]

 Smuggling of tobacco products

Tobacco smuggling has become a major worldwide problem. Cigarettes are the world’s most widely smuggled legal product.5  It is estimated that sales via the internet and by other means of contraband cigarettes could represent around 10% of the US market.[21] In the UK, approximately 15% of the cigarette market is comprised of smuggled goods.[22]  In China around 95% of foreign cigarettes are contraband, an estimated $2.4 billion (US) loss in taxes per annum.8

In 1996 around 355 billion cigarettes or around one third of total world cigarette production went into the contraband market. This significantly deprives governments of lost revenue.[23] 

Smuggling reduces the price of cigarettes, increases demand and undermines national tobacco tax policies and as a result, harms health by increasing overall tobacco use.

As smuggling is a global problem a concerted effort at international level is required. This should include labelling on every cigarette pack with its origin (manufacturer) and destination (country), with a health warning on packs to be printed in the language of the destination market.  This would allow for easier determination of where the products have come from and where they were intended to go.

(More information on smuggling can be found in ASH Factsheet no 17.)

Tobacco control initiatives

In order to tackle the tobacco epidemic, a wide range of measures is required.  Evidence from nations that have witnessed a decline in smoking shows that a combination of the following is needed: mass media health education programmes; a ban on all forms of tobacco advertising and promotion; vivid health warnings on tobacco products; regular increases in tobacco taxation; restrictions on smoking in public places and the workplace and better consumer information and help for smokers who wish to quit.[24] In addition, in countries where tobacco is grown, crop diversification should be introduced wherever possible.

In a developing country an effective smoking prevention program costs around $20-$40 per year of life gained.⁷

Countries that have been able to introduce a comprehensive set of measures have dramatically reduced smoking prevalence and as a consequence also lowered cancers, heart disease, circulatory diseases and respiratory diseases.²⁴

In recognition of the global health impact of tobacco, the World Health Organization launched the Tobacco Free Initiative and has taking the lead in developing the world’s first global tobacco control treaty – the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Framework Convention on Tobacco Control  

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) was ratified on 27 February 2005 and is a legally-binding international treaty. It is the world’s first public health treaty.

The FCTC is like other international treaties such as the Rights of the Child and the Landmine Treaty. Over 100 countries have ratified the treaty, representing close to 70% of the world’s total population.[25]

The objective of the FCTC is ‘to protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke.’ [26]

The FCTC sets out minimum standards required by the signatories. Countries will be encouraged to implement measures that are stronger than those set out in the treaty.  

Significantly all parties are required to undertake a comprehensive ban on all direct and indirect tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship within 5 years of ratifying the treaty.

The FCTC states that warning labels should occupy at least 30% of the surface area of cigarettes packs and that descriptors such as ‘light’ or ‘mild’ be prohibited. The FCTC also urges the strict regulation of tobacco product contents; higher tobacco taxes; global coordination towards the elimination of tobacco smuggling; and the promotion of smoking prevention, cessation and research programs.¹⁹

All parties will also be required to implement effective measures to protect non-smokers from tobacco smoke in workplaces, public transport and indoor public places.

The FCTC has given new impetus to enact or strengthen legislation in many countries and also mobilised communities around the world to do more about tobacco control and smoking related issues.

Further reading and links

·          Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

·          The Tobacco Atlas

·          World Health Organization Tobacco Free Initiative

·          (World Bank) The Economics of Tobacco Control

·          Economics of Tobacco Myths and Facts

·          The Framework Convention Alliance for Tobacco Control

·          ASH Factsheet 17: Smuggling

·          ASH Factsheet 21: Tobacco and the developing world

·          More International resources on tobacco from ASH website

References

There are links to many of the sources on the on-line version of this printed report at:  www.ash.org.uk/?international

[1]     Thun, M. and  Luiza da Costa e Silva, V. Introduction and Overview of global tobacco surveillance in Shafey, O. Dolwick, S and Guidon, E (eds). Tobacco Control Country Profiles, 2^nd Ed. American Cancer Society, 2003. Viewed 23 Nov. 05 www.who.int/tobacco/global_data/country_profiles/en/

[2]    Esson, M. and Leeder S. The Millennium development goals and tobacco control : an opportunity for global partnership. World Health Organization (WHO), 2004. Viewed 23 Nov. 05

      http://www.who.int/tobacco/research/economics/publications/mdg_book/en/index.html

[3]     World Health Organization (WHO). China joins the global war on smoking – press release, 30 Aug 2005. WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, viewed 10 Oct. 05: http://www.wpro.who.int/media_centre/press_releases/pr_20050830.htm

 [4]     Guidon G. and Boisclair D. Past, current and future trends in tobacco use. Health Nutrition and Population Discussion Paper, World Bank Human Development Network, 2003. Viewed 23 Nov 05 http://siteresources.worldbank.org/HEALTHNUTRITIONANDPOPULATION/Resources/281627-1095698140167/Guindon-PastCurrent-whole.pdf

 [5]     Mackay J. and Eriksen, M. The Tobacco Atlas. WHO, 2002. Viewed 23 Nov. 05 www.who.int/tobacco/resources/publications/tobacco_atlas/en/ 

 [6]     Dananei, G. Vander Hoorn, S, Lopez, A. Murray, C. Ezzati, M and the Comparative Risk Assessment collaborating ground (cancers). Causes of cancer in the world: comparative risk assessment of nine behavioural and environmental risk factors. The Lancet 2005; 366, pp. 1784-1793

 [7]     Framework Convention Alliance on Tobacco Control. Tobacco Facts. Factsheet 1. Framework Convention Alliance on Tobacco Control, 2005. Viewed 23 Nov. 05

http://www.ensp.org/files/01_Tobacco_Facts.pdf

 [8]     Milenkovich, Z. The global market for cigarettes. Tobacco Journal International, Oct/Nov 2004: 70-79.

 [9]     United States Department of Agriculture. World’s leading un-manufactured tobacco producing, trading and consuming countries. United States Department of Agriculture, 2004. Viewed 10 Oct. 05 http://www.fas.usda.gov/tobacco/circular/2004/122004/TBL1dec2004.PDF

[10]    Worldwatch Institute. Cigarette production drops. In Vital Signs 2005.  Worldwatch Institute, 2005. Viewed 23 Nov. 05 http://www.worldwatch.org/features/vsow/2005/11/21

   [11]    US Department of Agricultural Service. Production, Supply and Distribution Online, 2005. Viewed 10 Oct 05 http://www.fas.usda.gov/psd/psdselection.asp

 [12]    WHO. The World Health Report 2002: reducing risks, promoting healthy life. WHO 2002.

[13]    United Kingdom Social Investment Forum. Tobacco: potentially material social, ethical and environmental risks. UK Social Investment Forum, 2004. Viewed 23 Nov. 05 http://www.uksif.org/J/Z/Z/lib/2004/files/09/jp-sctnote06-tbco/uksif-jp-sn06-tobacco.pdf

 14]    International Agency on Tobacco and Health. Personal Communication, December 2005

[15]    Hafez, N. & Ling, P. How Philip Morris built Marlboro into a global brand for young adults: implications for international tobacco control. Tobacco Control, 2005; 14 (4): 262-271

[16]    News & Names: Russia, new superslims brand. Tobacco Journal International, Dec/Jan 2005/6: 15.

[17]    WHO. Gender and Tobacco. WHO 2005. Viewed 10 Oct 05

www.who.int/tobacco/research/gender/about/en/print.html

[18]      WHO. Tobacco increases the poverty of individuals and families. WHO, 2004. Viewed 23 Nov. 05 http://www.who.int/tobacco/communications/events/wntd/2004/tobaccofacts_families/en/

 [19]      World Bank Group. Curbing the Epidemic: Governments and the economics of tobacco control. World Bank, 1999. Viewed 23 Nov. 05 http://www1.worldbank.org/tobacco/reports.asp

 [20]    Global tobacco market. Tobacco Journal International [poster] 2005

 [21]    Yahoo! Finance. Tobacco Industry Profile. Yahoo! Inc 2005. Viewed 4 Oct. 05 http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/prof/43/html

 [22]    HM Customs and Excise. Annual report 2003-2004. The Commissioners of HM Customs and Excise, London. Viewed 6 Dec 05 http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/downloadFile?contentID=HMCE_PROD_011714

 [23]    Joossens, L and Raw, M. Cigarette smuggling in Europe: who really benefits?  Tobacco Control 1998; 7: 66-71.

  24]    World Bank Group. Tobacco Control at a glance, 2003. Viewed 23 Nov. 05 http://www1.worldbank.org/tobacco/pdf/AAG%20Tobacco%206-03.pdf

 [25]    Le Gales-Camus, C. Speech given at seminar on ‘The past and future of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control’ 10 November 2005, Geneva. Viewed 23 Nov. 05

http://www.who.int/tobacco/communications/events/ADG_speech_10Nov05/en/index.html

 [26]    WHO. WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, WHO 2003. Viewed 23 Nov 05 www.who.int/tobacco/framework/final_text/en/index4.html

Source: http://www.ash.org.uk/html/international/html/globaltrends.html

Keep Your Lungs Healthy!

What's something that you do all day, every day, no matter where you are or who you're with?

1. think about what's for lunch tomorrow
2. put your finger in your nose
3. hum your favorite song
4. breathe

It's possible that some kids could say (a) or (c) or that others might even say - yikes! - (b). But every single person in the world has to say (d). Breathing air is necessary for keeping humans (and many animals) alive. And the two parts that are large and in charge when it comes to breathing? If you guessed your lungs, you're right!

Your lungs make up one of the largest organs in your body, and they work with your respiratory system to allow you to take in fresh air, get rid of stale air, and even talk. Let's take a tour of the lungs!

Locate Those Lungs

Your lungs are in your chest, and they are so large that they take up most of the space in there. You have two lungs, but they aren't the same size the way your eyes or nostrils are. Instead, the lung on the left side of your body is a bit smaller than the lung on the right. This extra space on the left leaves room for your heart.

Your lungs are protected by your rib cage, which is made up of 12 sets of ribs. These ribs are connected to your spine in your back and go around your lungs to keep them safe. Beneath the lungs is the diaphragm (say: dye-uh-fram), a dome-shaped muscle that works with your lungs to allow you to inhale (breathe in) and exhale (breathe out) air.

You can't see your lungs, but it's easy to feel them in action: put your hands on your chest and breathe in very deeply. You will feel your chest getting slightly bigger. Now breathe out the air, and feel your chest return to its regular size. You've just felt the power of your lungs!

A Look Inside the Lungs

From the outside, lungs are pink and a bit squishy, like a sponge. But the inside contains the real lowdown on the lungs! At the bottom of the trachea (say: tray-kee-uh), or windpipe, there are two large tubes. These tubes are called the main stem bronchi (say: bron-keye), and one heads left into the left lung, while the other heads right into the right lung. Each main stem bronchus (say: bron-kuss) - the name for just one of the bronchi - then branches off into tubes, or bronchi, that get smaller and even smaller still, like branches on a big tree. The tiniest tubes are called bronchioles (say: bron-kee-oles), and there are about 30,000 of them in each lung. Each bronchiole is about the same thickness as a hair.

At the end of each bronchiole is a special area that leads into clumps of teeny tiny air sacs called alveoli (say: al-vee-oh-lie). There are about 600 million alveoli in your lungs and if you stretched them out, they would cover an entire tennis court. Now that's a load of alveoli! Each alveolus (say: al-vee-oh-luss) - the name for one of the alveoli - has a mesh-like covering of very small blood vessels called capillaries (say: cap-ill-er-ees). These capillaries are so tiny that the cells in your blood need to line up single file just to march through them.

All About Inhaling

 When you're walking your dog, cleaning your room, or spiking a volleyball, you probably don't think about inhaling (breathing in) - you've got other things on your mind! But every time you inhale air, dozens of body parts work together to help get that air in there without you ever thinking about it.

As you breathe in, your diaphragm contracts and flattens out. This allows it to move down, so your lungs have more room to grow larger as they fill up with air. "Move over, diaphragm, I'm filling up!" is what your lungs would say. And the diaphragm isn't the only part that gives your lungs the room they need. Your rib muscles also lift the ribs up and outward to give the lungs more space.

At the same time, you inhale air through your mouth and nose, and the air heads down your trachea, or windpipe. On the way down the windpipe, tiny hairs called cilia (say: sill-ee-uh) move gently to keep mucus and dirt out of the lungs. The air then goes through the series of branches in your lungs, through the bronchi and the bronchioles. The air finally ends up in the 600 million alveoli. As these millions of alveoli fill up with air, the lungs get bigger. Remember that experiment where you felt your lungs get larger? Well, you were really feeling the power of those awesome alveoli!

It's the alveoli that allow oxygen from the air to pass into your blood. All the cells in the body need oxygen every minute of the day. Oxygen passes through the walls of each alveolus into the tiny capillaries that surround it. The oxygen enters the blood in the tiny capillaries, hitching a ride on red blood cells and traveling through layers of blood veseels to the heart. The heart then sends the oxygenated (filled with oxygen) blood out to all the cells in the body.

Waiting to Exhale

When it's time to exhale (breathe out), everything happens in reverse: now it's the diaphragm's turn to say, "Move it!" Your diaphragm relaxes and moves up, pushing air out of the lungs. Your rib muscles become relaxed, and your ribs move in again, creating a smaller space in your chest.

By now your cells have used the oxygen they need, and your blood is carrying carbon dioxide and other wastes that must leave your body. The blood comes back through the capillaries and the wastes enter the alveoli. Then you breathe them out in the reverse order of how they came in: the air goes through the bronchioles, out the bronchi, out the trachea, and finally out through your mouth and nose.

The air that you breathe out not only contains wastes and carbon dioxide, but it's warm, too! As air travels through your body, it picks up heat along the way. You can feel this heat by putting your hand in front of your mouth or nose as you breathe out. What is the temperature of the air that comes out of your mouth or nose?

With all this movement, you might be wondering why things don't get stuck as the lungs fill and empty! Luckily, your lungs are covered by two really slick special layers called pleural membranes (say: ploo-ral mem-branes). These membranes are separated by a fluid that allows them to slide around easily while you inhale and exhale.

Time for Talk

Your lungs are important for breathing . . . and also for talking! Above the trachea (windpipe) is the larynx (say: larr-inks), which is sometimes called the voice box. Across the voice box are two tiny ridges called vocal cords, which open and close to make sounds. When you exhale air from the lungs, it comes through the trachea and larynx and reaches the vocal cords. If the vocal cords are closed and the air flows between them, the vocal cords vibrate and a sound is made.

The amount of air you blow out from your lungs determines how loud a sound will be and how long you can make the sound. Try inhaling very deeply and saying the names of all the kids in your class - how far can you get without taking the next breath? The next time you're outside, try shouting and see what happens - shouting requires lots of air, so you'll need to breathe in more frequently than you would if you were only saying the words. Experiment with different sounds and the air it takes to make them: when you giggle, you let out your breath in short bits, but when you burp, you let swallowed air in your stomach out in one long one! When you hiccup, it's because the diaphragm moves in a funny way that causes you to breathe in air suddenly, and that air hits your vocal cords when you're not ready.

Love Your Lungs

Your lungs are amazing: they allow you to breathe, talk to your friend, shout at a game, sing, laugh, cry, and more! And speaking of a game, your lungs even work with your brain to help you inhale and exhale a larger amount of air at a more rapid rate when you're running a mile - all without you even thinking about it once.

Keeping your lungs looking and feeling healthy is a good idea, and the best way to keep your lungs pink and healthy is not to smoke. Smoking isn't good for any part of your body, and your lungs especially hate it. Cigarette smoke damages the cilia in the trachea so they can no longer move to keep dirt and other substances out of the lungs. Your alveoli say, "ouch," too, because the chemicals in cigarette smoke can cause the walls of the delicate alveoli to break down, making it much harder to breathe. Finally, cigarette smoke can damage the cells of the lungs so much that the healthy cells go away, only to be replaced by cancer cells. Lungs are normally tough and strong, but when it comes to cigarettes, they can be hurt easily - and it's often very difficult or impossible to make them better. If you need to work with chemicals in an art or shop class, be sure to wear a protective mask to keep chemical fumes from entering your lungs.

You can also show your love for your lungs by exercising! Exercise is good for every part of your body, and especially for your lungs and heart. When you take part in vigorous exercise (like biking, running, or swimming, for example), your lungs require more air to give your cells the extra oxygen they need. As you breathe more deeply and take in more air, your lungs become stronger and better at supplying your body with the air it needs to succeed. Keep your lungs healthy and they will thank you for life!

Updated and reviewed by: Laura Inselman, MD
Date reviewed: August 2006

Source: http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/body/lungs_noSW.html

Dealing With Peer Pressure

"Come on! ALL of us are cutting math. Who wants to go take that quiz? We're going to take a walk and get lunch instead. Let's go!" says the coolest kid in your class. Do you do what you know is right and go to math class, quiz and all? Or do you give in and go with them?

As you grow older, you'll be faced with some challenging decisions. Some don't have a clear right or wrong answer - like should you play soccer or field hockey? Other decisions involve serious moral questions, like whether to cut class, try cigarettes, or lie to your parents.

Making decisions on your own is hard enough, but when other people get involved and try to pressure you one way or another it can be even harder. People who are your age, like your classmates, are called peers. When they try to influence how you act, to get you to do something, it's called peer pressure. It's something everyone has to deal with - even adults. Let's talk about how to handle it.

Defining Peer Pressure

Peers influence your life, even if you don't realize it, just by spending time with you. You learn from them, and they learn from you. It's only human nature to listen to and learn from other people in your age group.

Peers can have a positive influence on each other. Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system, or someone on the soccer team taught you a cool trick with the ball. You might admire a friend who is always a good sport and try to be more like him or her. Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book, and now everyone's reading it. These are examples of how peers positively influence each other every day.

Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways. For example, a few kids in school might try to get you to cut class with them, your soccer friend might try to convince you to be mean to another player and never pass her the ball, or a kid in the neighborhood might want you to shoplift with him.

Why Do People Give in to Peer Pressure?

Some kids give in to peer pressure because they want to be liked, to fit in, or because they worry that other kids may make fun of them if they don't go along with the group. Others may go along because they are curious to try something new that others are doing. The idea that "everyone's doing it" may influence some kids to leave their better judgment, or their common sense, behind.

How to Walk Away From Peer Pressure

It is tough to be the only one who says "no" to peer pressure, but you can do it. Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do. Inner strength and self-confidence can help you stand firm, walk away, and resist doing something when you know better.

It can really help to have at least one other peer, or friend, who is willing to say "no," too. This takes a lot of the power out of peer pressure and makes it much easier to resist. It's great to have friends with values similar to yours who will back you up when you don't want to do something.

You've probably had a parent or teacher advise you to "choose your friends wisely." Peer pressure is a big reason why they say this. If you choose friends who don't use drugs, cut class, smoke cigarettes, or lie to their parents, then you probably won't do these things either, even if other kids do. Try to help a friend who's having trouble resisting peer pressure. It can be powerful for one kid to join another by simply saying, "I'm with you - let's go."

Even if you're faced with peer pressure while you're alone, there are still things you can do. You can simply stay away from peers who pressure you to do stuff you know is wrong. You can tell them "no" and walk away. Better yet, find other friends and classmates to pal around with.

If you continue to face peer pressure and you're finding it difficult to handle, talk to someone you trust. Don't feel guilty if you've made a mistake or two. Talking to a parent, teacher, or school counselor can help you feel much better and prepare you for the next time you face peer pressure.

Powerful, Positive Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is not always a bad thing. For example, positive peer pressure can be used to pressure bullies into acting better toward other kids. If enough kids get together, peers can pressure each other into doing what's right!

Updated and reviewed by: Kevin J. Took, MD
Date reviewed: September 2004
Originally reviewed by: D'Arcy Lyness, PhD

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/friend/peer_pressure.html 

Something Just as Bad!

"Hey, who wants a drink?" "Oh come on, just one drink won't hurt you. It's fun." "It's cool. Everybody drinks, right?"

Wrong.

Drinking alcohol is dangerous for kids and teens and sometimes for adults, too. Alcohol is a drug, and it is the drug most abused by teens. Many kids have their first drink at an early age, as young as 10 or 11 or even younger.

They may have seen their parents drink or cool ads for beer and wine. It's easy for a kid to get the wrong message about alcohol. In TV commercials, drinking looks like a lot of fun. You might see people drinking and watching sports together or having a big party.

But alcohol is actually a depressant. That means it's a drug that slows down or depresses the brain. Like many drugs, alcohol changes a person's ability to think, speak, and see things as they really are. A person might lose his or her balance and have trouble walking properly. The person might feel relaxed and happy and later start crying or get in an argument.

What Happens When People Drink?

When people drink too much, they might do or say things they don't mean. They might hurt themselves or other people, especially if they drive a car. Someone who drinks too much also might throw up and could wake up the next day feeling awful - that's called a hangover. Drinking too much alcohol can lead to alcohol poisoning, which can kill a person. Over time, someone who abuses alcohol can do serious damage to his or her body. The liver, which removes poisons from the blood, is especially at risk.

Because alcohol can cause such problems, the citizens and government leaders in this country have decided that kids shouldn't be allowed to buy or use alcohol. By setting the drinking age at 21, they hope older people will be able to make good decisions about alcohol. For instance, they don't want people to drink alcohol and drive cars because that's how many accidents occur.

What Is Alcoholism?

What can be confusing about alcohol is that some grown-ups seem to be able to enjoy it occasionally with no problems. Other people, though, can become alcoholics (say: al-kuh-ha-liks). An alcoholic is someone whose mind and body crave alcohol. The person has little control over his or her drinking and can't stop without help. A person who starts drinking alcohol at a young age is more likely to become an alcoholic.

Alcoholism is chronic, which means it continues over time. It often gets worse, too, because the person may start experiencing health problems related to drinking. In addition to causing liver problems, long-term drinking can damage the pancreas, heart, and brain.

Say No

It can be tempting to try alcohol. It's normal to be curious about new things, especially if it seems like everyone is doing it. But everyone is not drinking alcohol. Don't believe it if someone says you're immature for not drinking. You're actually more mature (which means grown up) because you're being strong and smart.

Still, it can be hard if you feel unpopular because of your decision. Good friends won't stop being your friend just because you don't want to drink alcohol. If you feel this kind of pressure, talk to someone you trust.

And if you're concerned about a friend who's drinking, you should tell one of your parents, a school counselor, or another trusted adult. That way, someone can talk with your friend before the alcohol causes a big problem. Unfortunately, some kids who drink may also drop out of school, get in car accidents, start fights, or join in crimes.

But with help, anyone who has a problem with alcohol can be successful at stopping. And if you're still a kid, help yourself by not starting in the first place!

Updated and reviewed by: Eugene Shatz, MD
Date reviewed: July 2004
Originally reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD, and Mandell Much, PhD

Source: http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/body/alcohol.html