Teen Discoveries and Teen Connections students in Family Consumer Sciences classes at Russellville Middle School are going through a drug, alcohol and tobacco prevention program called Health Rocks.

Under the guidance of teacher Rachel Agee, in collaboration with Apriell Burgess from the Alabama Cooperative Extension, each day students have learned about these substances’ effects on a person’s insides; outer appearance; ability to think and focus; and money.

“The lessons are focused on connecting how smoking can effect the student’s future,” Agee said. “When faced with the choice of using or not using drugs, younger youth tend to disregard future cost or consequences. It is important to make younger youth aware that there are serious short-term and long-term effects from using tobacco, alcohol or other drugs. Youth need to have the facts about what drugs will do to them not only now but down the road.

One of the lessons completed recently is called Take a Deep Breath. The students participated in a lab investigating how smoking effects lung capacity. They were able to experience how it feels as the lungs are exposed to chemicals associated with smoking and how the chemicals cause decreased lung capacity.

The students concluded not to ever experiment with smoking so they can breathe easily.