The Eagle Times

Smoking is a very common thing for Americans. It is the main cause of lung cancer. Every day 1,200 Americans die from smoke related diseases. Every day almost 3,000 children under the age of 18 start smoking. Smoking is every addictive and contains nicotine. Nicotine makes up 5 percent of the tobacco plant. Tobacco is what is found in a cigarette. Nicotine helps release unneeded amounts of adrenaline. Adrenaline makes your heart beat faster, increases blood pressure, and rapid of shallow breathing. Smoking also makes peoples lungs smaller. It is estimated that about 4.5 million adolescents are smokers in the world today. There are other things such as chewing tobacco or smoking cigars or pipes, but neither of them is better for you than smoking a cigarette. Smoking dieses claim more lives than alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide and illegal drugs combined. Most people smoke at least a pack a day. This means that people are more likely to die seven years earlier than people who do not smoke at all. Women who are pregnant and smoke are more likely to lose their children before they are even born or have premature children. Smoking causes second hand smoke in smoker’s friend, family and strangers all around them. Second hand smoke is just as bad as smoking. This means when someone else lights up…. Run the other way! Teens who smoke usually get sicker than teens who do not smoke at all. Teenagers who smoke are also more likely to use other drugs or illegal substances and alcoholic beverages. Once someone starts to smoke it is very hard to quit because the nicotine in the cigarette or other tobacco substance is highly addictive. There are many different alternative sources of nicotine, such as patches and gum. People who start smoking at a young age have a harder addictive habit to break if or when they decide to stop smoking.

By Sara Pennington and Alannah Myers

Every year, all of the Religion classes join together to make baskets for the poor. This year every grade from first to twelfth will be donating various items for the less fortunate. Mr. David Merrick, head of the Religion department, is organizing the event this year. He has already started planning and finding families to help. The effort to collect toys, cards, anything that will brighten
their day has not officially started yet. We will be starting this fundraiser next Monday. For the past few years, we have been adopting families to give the children toys, and the parents whatever they may need. Last year we helped over ten families. Many people in the community took notice and were very pleased with St. John Students giving back to the community. This year, we hope to live up to expectations and deliver the Christmas baskets once again.
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