Say no to tobacco

Lung cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in men and the third most common cause of death after heart diseases and stroke.

Medical research has proved that lung cancer is caused mostly by smoking. About 99.7 per cent of those who die of lung cancer are said to be smokers. Even those who do not smoke can be affected by inhaling the smoke.

The tar present in the smoke responsible for cancer.

Everyone is now aware that the poisonous chemical substances such as nicotine in tobacco cause lung cancer.

So, it is the duty of everyone especially adults to act responsibly and give up smoking. They must say ‘No’ to tobacco in any form and set an example to the younger generation.

Many young boys, even ten year-olds start smoking in an attempt to appear smart and modern like many adults and popular personalities, they consider their role models or heroes.

They completely forget or ignore the health hazard. Some youth become addicted and end up as chain smokers. They eventually fall ill and suffer through excessive smoking.

They have bad breath, their eyes turn yellow like those of a jaundiced patient, their healthy pink finger nails turn yellow with nicotine stains, their faces dry up and even their skin wrinkles.

Youth should realise that when a cigarette is lit at one end, there is a fool at the other end. Smoking will not only ruin their health but also waste their hard earned money. In reality, smokers burn money.

Smokers not only harm themselves but also non-smokers around them, when they smoke in public places. This is called passive smoking or second hand smoking. If they give up smoking they will help themselves and help the general public.

Let us all once again make this pledge “WE SAY NO TO TOBACCO”.

Dilmi Fernando, Grade 8 E, Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya.

A great lover of nature

Irangani Serasinghe is a charming and modest person. She was born in Mudugamuwa in the Kegalle District. Now she lives in a house in the busy city. From her young days she loved to have trees, animals and birds around her.

The river, Gurugoda Oya flows in front of her house in Mudugamuwa. During her young days, she led a leisurely life enjoying swimming, diving and playing in the water, watching the paddy plants sway in the wind and the beauty of nature around her. She is a founder member of Ruk Reka Ganno.

She is also a member of the WildLife Society. She prepares educational material about protecting nature which she distributes to people. She also gets involved in activities to create an awarness of the value of nature among the people. She is a great lover of nature.

R.M. Pabodhi Tharushika Rathnayaka, Grade 10-B, Mahasen National School, Nikaweratiya.

Save trees!

Trees are our friends. They are very useful for us. Trees add beauty to our environment.

Trees give us food, timber to make furnitures and firewood to cook. Trees are homes to birds because they build nests on or inside trees.

Trees give out oxygen for us to breathe. Oxygen cleans the air.

Trees also provide us with shade and help stop soil erosion.

Trees help to get rain. If we destroy trees, our world will become a desert.

So, we must protect and save as many trees as possible. We must treat them lovingly. We must avoid cutting trees and plant new ones wherever we can.

Savindu Hiranniya Herat, Grade 4-C, Royal International School, Kurunegala.

Children must be protected always

Child protection was the theme at the International Youth Forum organised by the UNICEF, recently.

To protect a child we must first stop child abuse. There are many ways that children are being abused today. The most common forms of child abuse are neglecting the child and causing physical or emotional harm. This happens when parents fail to provide their children with proper protection, enough food, education and other basic needs.

Abuse of children has become a problem in the whole world. There must be a global partnership to overcome this problem, which destroys many innocent lives.

Child labour is another way of abusing children. According to estimates millions of children between the ages of 5 and 14 years are being exploited throughout the world. Another problem faced by the whole world is keeping children safe from drug abuse. It has become another major problem we face today and parents have to take extra care to protect children from getting additicted to such life-threatening habits.

The lives of children have been badly affected in many countries as a result of wars. A large number of families is without shelter or living in camps with their children as refugees.

Children are abused in various ways today and they need extra protection. This has to be looked into by the authorities concerned with the assistance of the children’s parents and other child caring organisations.

Leesha Rodrigo, Grade 7B, St. Lawrence’s Convent, Colombo.