"You don't know what power you have until you make choices in a hard time." - Lord Dragnys
Addictions
Ever wonder what you're smoking? Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, many of which are known causes of cancer. Just a few of these included chemicals are as follows. Carbon monoxide (found in car exhaust), arsenic (rat poison), ammonia (found in window cleaner), acetone (found in nail polish remover), hydrogen cyanide (gas chamber poison), napthalene (found in mothballs), sulphur compounds (found in matches), sulphur compounds (found in matches), lead, volatile alcohol, fomaldehyde (used as embalming fluid), and butane (lighter fluid).
Some websites that provide information about alcohol and drugs include:
The Lung Association - Has a section dedicated to smoking and provides other information.
Free Vibe - Information on how drugs and alcohol really affect your body.
Drug Free - The Partnership for a Drug-Free America is a non-profit coalition of communication, health, medical and educational professionals working to reduce illicit drug use and help people live healthy, drug-free lives.
Check Yourself - A place for teens to go to check where they are with drugs and alcohol.
Gambling is also a growing concern for many teenagers. Teenagers gamble because such ideas as gaining attention from peers, the action of the game, peer pressure, low self-esteem, problems at home, history of gambling in the family, and also for the opportunity of winning money. Gambling is an illegal activity for anybody under the age of 19 years.
If you or someone you know is concerned about their gambling behaviour, help is available. Talk to an addictions counsellor, the school guidance counsellor, a family member or a close friend.