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BBC informs about the decision that vape kits are being distributed to cigarette users in order to lessen the smoking rates. When in reality, it's more harmful than anything. Policies are always too adamant about helping people quit, instead of actually banning them. There is an even bigger concern about kids possessing vape pens and e-cigarettes.

This information is very impactful to our future generation of young students, especially as smoking and vaping are becoming popular, more than before. As the age of kids, that is smoking, is getting younger, the topic of vaping being inflicted should come up as early as elementary school because, for all we know, they could already be smoking outside of school grounds.

Russell, S. S. & R. (2023, April 11). Vaping: Free e-cigarettes to be handed out in anti-smoking drive. BBC News. Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-65235343

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One million smokers will be given a free vaping starter kit to encourage them to give up tobacco products.
A consultation will be launched on compelling cigarette manufacturers to put advice on quitting inside packs.

But charities have warned swapping cigarettes for vapes is "nowhere near sufficient" in tackling addiction.

The plans also include a crackdown on underage and illicit vape sales.

Almost one in five smokers in England will receive a kit alongside behavioural support, the government said.

In a speech on Tuesday, health minister Neil O'Brien described the free vape policy - dubbed "swap to stop" - as the first of its kind in the world.

"Up to two out of three lifelong smokers will die from smoking. Cigarettes are the only product on sale which will kill you if used correctly," he said.

Mr O'Brien also ruled out raising the minimum age for the sale of cigarettes from 18.

Instead, policies will focus on "helping people to quit" rather than imposing bans, he said.

Last year, a major review led Dr Javed Khan called for the minimum age to be increased by one year, every year "until no one can buy a tobacco product in this country".

MPs from the all-party parliamentary group on smocking and health have previously recommended hiking the age of sale to 21.

It is estimated that 9% of women still smoke during pregnancy in England, and the government says local trials indicate that financial incentives and behavioural support can be effective.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said it would set out details on how this scheme will work "in due course".

Local authorities are being invited to join the first wave of areas taking part in the free vape policy, before a larger national scheme is rolled out over the next two years.

Officials estimate it will cost around £45m and is set to be funded from the health department's budget, but administered by local authorities.

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of the Action on Smoking and Health campaign, said the policy announcements are "welcome steps in the right direction".

But she warned the moves are "nowhere near sufficient" as the target date for England becoming "smoke free" by 2030 nears.

She said: "Vapes increase smokers' chances of successfully quitting, as do vouchers for pregnant smokers, so these are welcome steps in the right direction, but they are nowhere near sufficient."

Sarah MacFadyen, from charity Asthma and Lung UK, said tackling addiction was more complex than just swapping cigarettes for vapes, saying "what smokers need is stop smoking services offering personalised support".

In 2019, ministers pledged to end smoking - defined as getting rates below 5% - by the end of the decade. As of 2021, smoking prevalence in England was 13%, the lowest on record.

But a review of the 2030 target published last year warned it will be missed by at least seven years without further action.

Its author, Dr Khan, called for a range of new measures, including a ban on smoking at outdoor spaces such as beaches and beer gardens.

The same report recommended promoting vaping as an alternative to tobacco, but said e-cigarettes are not a "silver bullet" or "totally risk free".

While the government wants to encourage adult smokers to swap cigarettes for vapes, there are concerns about the rising popularity of the products among children.

NHS figures released last year revealed 9% of secondary school pupils use a vape regularly or occasionally, including almost one in five 15 year olds.

A full consultation on how young people can be discouraged from taking up the habit is also being launched on Tuesday.

Other countries are taking different approaches to e-cigarettes and smoking - with many countries banning vaping, including Thailand, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Iran, India and Argentina.

According to the Australian government website, it is illegal to possess or use any nicotine vaping products without a prescription from a doctor. It is also illegal to smoke cigarettes and e-cigarettes in enclosed public places such as trains, planes and buses.

Meanwhile, Turkey has banned the sales of e-cigarettes although it is not actually illegal to vape in the country.

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Vaping: Free e-cigarettes to be handed out in anti-smoking drive

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Pregnant women will also be paid to quit smoking under government plans to be set out on Tuesday.

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The article starts with a personal connection with the reader by using recent events as an example of when the world went through the 5 stages of grief collectively when the pandemic started. The article goes into detail about each stage and what side effects may look like if one stage remains consistent and non-progressive.

When it comes to the stages of grief, students in our future classrooms could possibly experience these stages during the year that we teach them. Whether it's the loss of a family or pet, the emotions, and behavior of the students is expected to change and we teachers have to learn to adjust and assist when needed.

The stages of grief: Accepting the unacceptable. Counseling Center. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://www.washington.edu/counseling/2020/06/08/the-stages-of-grief-accepting-the-unacceptable/

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The Stages of Grief: Accepting the Unacceptable

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Posted by Caitlin Stanaway, Psy.D., Licensed Psychologist, UWCC

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The article helps explain the reasonings behind trauma and how it develops in the brain. Trauma is triggered by three areas of the brain, which helps keep them safe by being hyper-aware in situations that seem dangerous to them.

Trauma can grow in a child's brain quickly enough to take effect during a regular class setting. It's important to understand that teachers should watch their own wording and actions while teaching because they could accidentally trigger something within a student. And when that happens, the teacher should know how to respond to it and help train other students on how to make their peers comfortable.

Lindseygraser. (2023, February 22). How do our brains respond to trauma? Arc of Monroe. Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://arcmonroe.org/how-do-our-brains-respond-to-trauma/?gclid=CjwKCAjw3POhBhBQEiwAqTCuBivQivqh-UVgrusQiB2XFVf_kekPRQ4MtBe8IsGiuOKKejDxYOft7xoCMCcQAvD_BwE

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How Do Our Brains Respond To Trauma? - Arc of Monroe

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For some people, it can feel like they are fighting a constant battle with their brain. People who have experienced trauma, such as violence, abuse, a serious injury or a natural disaster, are at risk for developing a condition called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD impacts the way in…

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The article describes the conflict that guns bring to our modern-day world, and how gun violence has impacted the educational field with multiple school shootings a year. It also delves into the (dis)connection between guns and discrimination. Using statistics from in and out of the U.S., the article proves why ending gun violence will greatly improve our country's future.

As gun violence becomes a much more relevant and common topic, students have to understand that their lives could be at risk during situations where an intruder enters the school ground. Teachers should always educate students about what students can do to save themselves from being affected as well as others around them.

We need to prioritise people over guns. Amnesty International. (2022, November 23). Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/arms-control/gun-violence/

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Overview

Gun violence is a daily scourge that threatens our most fundamental right: the right to life. More than 600 people die every day as a result of firearms violence, which is driven in part by easy access to firearms - whether legal or illegal.

Anyone can be affected by gun violence, but it often disproportionately impacts people of colour, men and boys in deprived communities, and other marginalized groups. Domestic violence involving firearms also puts women at heightened risk of death or life-changing injuries.

Sometimes, the mere presence of firearms can make people feel threatened and fearful for their lives. They may be too afraid to attend schools or health facilities. Community-wide gun violence may prevent services from fully functioning, which can harm access to education or healthcare.

The vast majority of gun violence occurs outside of armed conflict settings. A significant proportion - in some states more than half - of firearm deaths are caused by suicide and accidents.

Our human rights are not protected if our leaders fail to tackle and end the epidemic of gun violence and gun deaths.

Previous Next

What is gun violence?

Gun violence is violence committed with firearms, such as handguns, shotguns, or semi-automatic rifles. More than 600 people are estimated to die every day from gun violence with two-thirds of gun-related deaths, including suicides, occurring in just six countries (in descending order): Brazil, the USA, Venezuela, Mexico, India and Colombia.

Up to 71% of all homicides globally involve gun violence. The majority of victims and perpetrators are young men, but women are at particular risk of violence from an intimate partner possessing a firearm. Sexual violence can also be perpetrated at gunpoint.

Firearms cause devastating injuries that leave a lasting impact on mental and physical health. Some gunshot victims need intensive, lifelong care. Others may lose their ability to work. Many have little or no access to programmes that offer adequate long-term care and rehabilitation.

How many guns are there?

More than 1 billion firearms are in circulation globally. The vast majority - 85%- are in the hand of private individuals, 13% are in military arsenals and 2% are owned by law enforcement agencies.

Gun violence committed by private individuals is typically concentrated in low-income urban neighbourhoods with high levels of crime, including drug trafficking. Many of these areas are blighted by inadequate policing or policing which does not comply with international standards on human rights and law enforcement, and a lack of access to public services.

Therefore, easy access to and proliferation of firearms, combined with socio-economic factors, can have a harmful impact on the community's full range of human rights.

Gun violence and the right to health
Gun violence can rob people of their lives, health and right to healthcare.
People living in communities plagued by firearm violence may find it difficult or even dangerous to access health care facilities. This is especially true in areas where neighbourhoods are partitioned by armed criminal gangs or subject to curfews due to insecurity.

Gun violence can also deter local authorities and NGOs from setting up community health services, and contributes to poor staff retention. Survivors of domestic violence often do not have the essential psychological support or safe accommodation they need in neighbourhoods wracked by firearm violence.

The psychological toll from rampant gun violence is often heavy, particularly for victims, their family members and those who have witnessed shootings. Survivors may be left with debilitating and life-changing injuries which require long-term medical and social care.

Gun violence and the right to education

Mass shootings and other firearm violence can disrupt children's education and make students' journeys to and from school dangerous.

Endemic gun violence damages the learning environment by disrupting school attendance and rates of retention, and makes it harder to recruit and retain teaching staff.

This can, in turn, lead to poorer outcomes for students in terms of employment and income. It can also perpetuate cycles of deprivation, crime and violence.

Gun violence exacerbates the impact of systemic discrimination.
In 2020, 60.9% of the 19,995 people killed by gun homicide in the US were African Americans, despite African Americans making up just 13% of the US population.

Black men and boys aged 15-34 are more than 10 times more likely to die from firearm homicide than white men and boys of the same age group.

Failure to address systemic discrimination; failure to keep firearms out of the hands of those most likely to misuse them; and a failure to invest in gun violence prevention programmes all contribute to this crisis.
Women facing domestic violence and children are also disproportionately affected by gun violence.
In 2020, the ratio of women in the Caribbean killed in gun violence was more than three times the global average. In the USA, guns are now the leading cause of death for children. Furthermore, between 2% and 7% of all injuries treated at US paediatric trauma centres are gun-related.

Gun Violence Figures Worldwide

How can governments stop gun violence?

Effectively implemented gun regulation and evidence-based violence prevention projects can stop the carnage.

As a first step, states should recognize firearm violence as a threat to people's human rights, in particular their rights to life, to physical integrity and security of person, and to health.

Gun regulation and gun licences

States can set up some basic systems to regulate how private individuals can own and use firearms and ammunition to prevent them from using firearms to abuse human rights.

International standards recommend prohibiting any possession of firearms without a licence; that states should register all firearms; and that unlicensed possession should be treated as a criminal offence.

A firearms licence should be subject to certain criteria. For example, the applicant should undergo a comprehensive background check to identify any risks, such as:

a criminal record - especially for violent behaviour in the home or community; history of gender-based, sexual or domestic violence;

history of problematic use of drugs/alcohol, emotional issues, mental health conditions and

any other circumstances which heighten the risks of the harm to self or others using firearms.

Gun licences should be time-limited and training on how to use the weapon should be mandatory. The number and type of weapons that an individual can possess should also be strictly limited in line with the principles of necessity and credible justification.

Some firearms and ammunition represent an unacceptable level of risk to public safety and should be banned for personal use. These should include, at a minimum, fully automatic firearms, semi-automatic assault rifles, semi-automatic shotguns and semi-automatic submachine guns.

Does gun reform work?

Yes, gun reform works. Almost all countries regulate gun acquisition, possession and use in some form. Most do this by licensing users and registering firearms.

Gun reform works in parts of the world where there are strict controls on access to firearms and well-enforced firearms regulations. This is the case for much of Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand and parts of Asia. For example, in Japan, South Korea and Singapore, the rate of firearm violence is extremely low.

What does Amnesty do about gun violence?

Amnesty International is campaigning to strengthen regulations on firearm sale, transfer, use and possession. We support the creation of evidence-based violence reduction programmes in communities with persistently high levels of firearms violence.

You can stand up and remind our leaders of their obligation to keep us safe. You can play a crucial role in campaigning and protesting against gun violence and making it clear to governments that they must tackle this through strict controls on guns and effective interventions in communities suffering high levels of gun violence.
You have the power to tell governments that by using gun laws, we can all live safely and without fear - which is our right.

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We have the right to be safe from gun violence.

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Hay fever occurs when allergens, such as pollen or mold, trigger an inflammatory reaction in the nasal passages, leading to itchiness, sneezing, and overflowing mucus. There was less diversity in the nasal microbiome of people who have hay fever and a whole lot more of a bacterial species called Streptococcus salivarius. And it turns out that S. salivarius really likes runny noses.

This topic of nose bacteria and allergies is not only relevant for adults but also for kids. It's good to educate them on why they get allergies and the science behind it, as well as how to prevent it from happening again.

Cunningham, A. (2023, January 19). Too much of this bacteria in the nose may worsen allergy symptoms. Science News. Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://www.sciencenews.org/article/bacteria-worsen-allergy-symptoms-hay-fever

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A type of bacteria that's overabundant in the nasal passages of people with hay fever may worsen symptoms. Targeting that bacteria may provide a way to rein in ever-running noses.

Hay fever occurs when allergens, such as pollen or mold, trigger an inflammatory reaction in the nasal passages, leading to itchiness, sneezing and overflowing mucus. Researchers analyzed the composition of the microbial population in the noses of 55 people who have hay fever and those of 105 people who don't. There was less diversity in the nasal microbiome of people who have hay fever and a whole lot more of a bacterial species called Streptococcus salivarius, the team reports online January 12 in Nature Microbiology.

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S. salivarius was 17 times more abundant in the noses of allergy sufferers than the noses of those without allergies, says Michael Otto, a molecular microbiologist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Bethesda, Md. That imbalance appears to play a part in further provoking allergy symptoms. In laboratory experiments with allergen-exposed cells that line the airways, S. salivarius boosted the cells' production of proteins that promote inflammation.

And it turns out that S. salivarius really likes runny noses. One prominent, unpleasant symptom of hay fever is the overproduction of nasal discharge. The researchers found that S. salivarius binds very well to airway-lining cells exposed to an allergen and slathered in mucus - better than a comparison bacteria that also resides in the nose.

The close contact appears to be what makes the difference. It means that substances on S. salivarius' surface that can drive inflammation - common among many bacteria - are close enough to exert their effect on cells, Otto says.

Hay fever, which disrupts daily activities and disturbs sleep, is estimated to affect as many as 30 percent of adults in the United States. The new research opens the door "to future studies targeting this bacteria" as a potential treatment for hay fever, says Mahboobeh Mahdavinia, a physician scientist who studies immunology and allergies at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

But any treatment would need to avoid harming the "good" bacteria that live in the nose, says Mahdavinia, who was not involved in the research.

The proteins on S. salivarius' surface that are important to its ability to attach to mucus-covered cells might provide a target, says Otto. The bacteria bind to proteins called mucins found in the slimy, runny mucus. By learning more about S. salivarius' surface proteins, Otto says, it may be possible to come up with "specific methods to block that adhesion."

Questions or comments on this article? E-mail us at feedback@sciencenews.org

Aimee Cunningham is the biomedical writer. She has a master's degree in science journalism from New York University.

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Too much of this bacteria in the nose may worsen allergy symptoms

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A type of bacteria that's overabundant in the nasal passages of people with hay fever may worsen symptoms. Targeting that bacteria may provide a way to rein in ever-running noses. Hay fever occurs when allergens, such as pollen or mold, trigger an inflammatory reaction in the nasal passages, leading to itchiness, sneezing and overflowing mucus.

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Safety & Preventing Unintentional Injury

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Safety & Preventing Unintentional Injury

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This article lists the safety concerns that should take place when it comes to fire safety. With detailed descriptions of safety hazards and how to keep away from them, this article can benefit as a classroom lesson or for any adult who's curious about the steps they have to take to ensure absolute safety.

Fire safety is a crucial topic because a lot of young kids may put themselves at risk for a fire with simple yet dangerous things around the house such as stoves or even matches. When a fire happens, kids should know what to expect and how to react correctly.

Important home fire safety tips. Nationwide. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://www.nationwide.com/lc/resources/home/articles/home-fire-safety

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Product, coverage, discounts, insurance terms, definitions, and other descriptions are intended for informational purposes only and do not in any way replace or modify the definitions and information contained in your individual insurance contracts, policies, and/or declaration pages from Nationwide-affiliated underwriting companies, which are controlling. Such products, coverages, terms, and discounts may vary by state and exclusions may apply.

The information included here is designed for informational purposes only. It is not legal, tax, financial or any other sort of advice, nor is it a substitute for such advice. The information may not apply to your specific situation. We have tried to make sure the information is accurate, but it could be outdated or even inaccurate in parts. It is the reader's responsibility to comply with any applicable local, state or federal regulations. Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, its affiliates and their employees make no warranties about the information nor guarantee of results, and they assume no liability in connection with the information provided. Nationwide and the Nationwide N and Eagle are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2023 Nationwide

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Important Home Fire Safety Tips - Nationwide

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Protect your house and family with fire safety tips from Nationwide. Learn what to do and not to do when cooking, burning candles, smoking and more.

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This article lists the myths that surround nutrition, that we've been told all our lives and were proven to be true or untrue. Some may include aspects such as Diabetes, allergies, dairy vs plant-based, etc.

Topics about nutrition are practically essential especially for early grades, as kids tempt to eat the unhealthiest during that age. It's good to encourage correct eating, but not teach them incorrect myths that have been said about "healthy" eating.

Egan, S. (2023, January 19). 10 nutrition myths experts wish would die. The New York Times. Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/19/well/eat/nutrition-myths.html

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10 Nutrition Myths Experts Wish Would Die

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We surveyed some of the country’s leading authorities to reveal the truth about fat, dairy, soy and more.

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New York Times writes about a victim of bullying, that took their own life as a result. It goes in-depth about how the lack of communication and proper investigation was a big cause that led to the outcome, which made the community protest heavily in front of the school. The percentage of adolescence that have thought of and attempted suicide was further proven to support the passage's purpose.

Once students start to develop their own thoughts and opinions when it comes to social status, bullying starts to become common as early as elementary school. Teachers should bring topics about respect, equality, and morals to better prevent issues that involve bullying, as it can take a student's life no matter the age.

Rothfeld, M., & Caron, C. (2023, February 13). After Teen's suicide, a New Jersey community grapples with bullying. The New York Times. Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/13/nyregion/nj-teen-suicide-bullying-school.html

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After Teen’s Suicide, a New Jersey Community Grapples With Bullying

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Amid grief and outrage over the death of Adriana Kuch, 14, students have mounted protests, and a schools superintendent has resigned.