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Tobacco (The Real Deal) ISBN: 9780431907390
Lynette, Rachel
Published by Heinemann Raintree, 2008
In this series of books aimed at upper primary and secondary children, a range of topics about health issues is covered. Quite detailed information includes Case Studies, Newsflash and Top Tips boxes. What Do You Think boxes give interesting questions for discussion, particularly good for schools. Photographs and diagrams add greatly to the whole. This book is a hard-hitting, completely honest book about the dangers of using tobacco in any of its forms - cigars, pipes, flavoured cigarettes, cigarettes, chewing tobacco and snuff. But most of all it concentrates on cigarettes. We learn about the physical effects of smoking (with a gruesome picture of a diseased lung), how it affects the skin and teeth, and about the various poisons it puts into the body. Many life-threatening conditions are explained, along with a chart that clearly shows percentages of deaths from smoking. We learn about smoking bans, second-hand smoking, and the expense involved in buying cigarettes. There are statistics as to how many people smoke, including teenagers and young children. The reasons why people start smoking, including peer pressure, are explained, and there is something about advertising both for and against. A large section on quitting and the problems involved, as well as helps such as nicotine replacement therapy, is followed by two pages on 'Saying No to Tobacco' and a list of 'Tobacco Facts' which if the young person hasn't already been put off smoking, should do the job nicely. The book is thoroughly biased as to not starting to smoke ever. And quite right too! As this series is particularly useful for schools and project work, the glossary, a list of other books and websites, and an index are welcome additions.
Age: 10+