Seventy-five fourth graders at Lewisburg Elementary School teamed up with area Physician Assistants and staff from the Osteopathic School of Medicine again this year in the war against tobacco. The American Academy of Family Physicians is part of the grant support for the Tar Wars Program. The program is designed to prevent tobacco use through a series of exciting activities (three stations located in the gymnasium).
One station of events taught our students different advertising tricks used to imply that using tobacco products is sophisticated, fun and popular. Through white boards, power point slideshows and flip charts, our students also learned about different diseases caused by tobacco use at another station. At a third station, each student was given a straw to breathe only through the mouth while moving for thirty seconds. They quickly realized the effects of smoking on one’s lungs. Our fourth graders added the cost of smoking or using smokeless tobacco annually and discussed what they could buy instead of tobacco products.
Overall, the fourth grade students at Lewisburg Elementary School can now report on how people are tricked into buying tobacco products and the diseases, pain and expenses attached to using tobacco products. Lewisburg Elementary School is fortunate for the support and education offered by the Osteopathic School of Medicine.