Chapter 11 Check Your Health and Wellness Skills In this chapter, you will learn skills for protecting your health from the harms of nicotine and tobacco. To understand the skills you currently use, take the following inventory of your behaviors. Indicate how well you think you use each skill. Use a scale of 1–5, 1 meaning you do not use the skill and 5 meaning you feel completely comfortable using it. Skill How Well Do You Use Each Skill? I try to limit my time around people who are smoking cigarettes. When I spend time with someone who is smoking, I shower soon after. I feel comfortable saying no when my friends tell me I should try vaping. I manage stress well—by getting physical activity or listening to music, for example. I surround myself with people who respect my decisions and do not make fun of me. I know tobacco companies sponsor people to encourage vaping on social media. I recognize that depictions of people smoking in movies do not show tobacco’s long-term health effects. I encourage my friends and family members who use tobacco to quit. I do not accept car rides from people who smoke or vape. If people do not respect my decision not to use tobacco, I leave the situation. Total: Add up your responses to each statement. The higher your score, the more comfortable you feel avoiding the harms of nicotine and tobacco. Which skill do you think is most important for you? Which skill is the most challenging for you? Which skill would you most like to improve? In this chapter, you will learn how to perform these skills better and more often. Vaping and Tobacco Lesson 11.1 Health Effects of Vaping and Tobacco Lesson 11.2 Preventing and Treating Tobacco Use Look for the skills icon throughout this chapter for opportunities to practice your health skills. Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 362