Smoking out the truth.

Want to learn the real dangers of cigarettes? Ask your teacher to try this science experiment at school.

YOU NEED:

* Eyedropper

* Rubber tubing

* 2 one-hole rubber or cork stoppers

* 1 two-hole rubber or cork stopper

* Plastic squeeze bottle

* Cotton balls

* Clear plastic tube

* Small dish

* Cleaning fluid or spot remover

DIRECTIONS:

1. With your teacher, assemble the equipment as shown in the illustration. Make sure that no air can leak out.

2. Squeeze the plastic bottle, and then place your finger over the end the exhaust tube. Your teacher should light the inserted cigarette and release the plastic bottle. This draws the smoke through the cotton filter and into the squeeze bottle. Unblock the exhaust tube to allow the smoke to escape. Repeat this step several times.

3. Remove the cotton filter. Place cleaning fluid in the small dish and rinse the filter in it. Notice the tars and impurities collected by the cotton. All that gunk goes into the lungs of people who smoke!

4. Repeat this experiment using other brands of cigarettes.

QUESTIONS TO INVESTIGATE:

Q. Which has the most impurities--the first or second half of a cigarette?

Q. Do filtered cigarettes really send fewer impurities into the bottle?

Q. Are some cigarettes worse than others?

TEACHERS:

Send snapshots of your class "Smoking Out the Truth" to U*S*Kids, P.O. Box 567, Indianapolis, IN 46206. We'll print as many as we can.

KICK THE HABIT!

We date you to, take the U*s*Kids Challenge! Here show it works:

If you know a smoker, encourage that person to quit smoking for three weeks. To show your support, give up something for three weeks that's not good for you, such as junk food, sort drinks, or candy.

Why three weeks? Experts say it takes twenty-one days to make a long-lasting lifestyle change. This includes giving up nicotine (smoking), sugar, or caffeine.

Use the U*S*Kids Challenge cards below to help you both get started on the road to better health. Sign them and cut them out.

At the end of three weeks, check to sec if you both kept your pledge. Can you continue your pledge for another week? Good luck!

YOUR CARD:

SMOKING OUT THE TRUTH

Yes! I'll take the U*S*Kids Challenge!

I Promise to give up -- for three weeks.

Signed:

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SMOKER'S CARD:

SMOKING OUT THE TRUTH

Yes! I'll take the U*S*Kids Challenge!

I promise to give up smoking for three weeks.

Signed:

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