MCH Physician, Dr. Smith, Teaches Southside Students the Risks of Using Tobacco Products
Posted on Jun 08 2009
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Dr. Denice Smith understands the importance of creating a healthy future for the children in the Morrison area.  Dr. Smith is a Morrison native and is presently a physician at the Morrison Community Hospital Family Care Clinic.  In an effort to promote healthy choices, Dr. Smith recently spoke to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders at Southside School about tobacco use.  The presentation is called “Tar Wars” and it is a part of a national effort to prevent young children from using tobacco products.

Dr. Smith had multiple activities for the students to participate in that facilitated conversations and helped them better understand the risks involved with smoking and chewing tobacco.  “This program is an interactive and fun way to present a serious topic to the students.  One of my main goals was to inform them that only a small percentage of individuals use tobacco products.  We also talked about the short-term and long-term effects of tobacco use,” said Dr. Smith.

At one point during the presentation, Dr. Smith asked the students to put a straw in their mouth and hold their nose while running in place.  After running in place for three minutes, while only breathing through the straw, the children were asked to stop and discuss how they felt.  Not surprisingly, the students had a hard time catching their breath and commented that it was hard to do. “This demonstration is representative of how someone who smokes would breathe during physical activity,” explained Dr. Smith.  “We only did this for three minutes.  Imagine having to breathe that way all the time!”

The children also discussed the actual percentages of people who use tobacco, how tobacco hurts your body, and the good things that happen when you are tobacco-free.  To learn more about “Tar Wars” visit their website at www.tarwars.org.  The Morrison Community Hospital and Dr. Smith would like to thank Mrs. Garza, Elementary Programs and Services Coordinator, for allowing them to come to the school and educate the children.