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DON'T BE FOOLED!

LESSON 2

Last updated September 2026

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TOPICS

Marketing Tricks

Stress and Wellness

E-cigarettes and the Environment

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MARKETING TACTICS

ACT I

The way tobacco/nicotine companies try to get you interested in buying or using something they sell.

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CAN YOU KEEP A STRAIGHT FACE? ACTIVITY

Talking Points:

Warm up: Keep A Straight Face!

The objective of this activity is for you to experience pressure to behave in certain ways, despite any effort to resist.

Procedures:

-Organize students into pairs or groups of four.

-Ask each pair or group to nominate one person in their group to be the "resistor," while the other person or other three will be the "comics."

-The three comics must do everything in their power (apart from actually making physical contact) to make the resistor laugh.

-Meanwhile, the resistor must do everything in their power to remain straight-faced and not laugh.

-They have one minute for this challenge.

-Swap roles after each minute so that every group member has a turn as a "resistor."

Discussion:

-(Ask Students):

How hard was it to resist laughing?

Do you think it can be hard to resist other people’s invitations, encouragement, and pressure to do certain things or behave in certain ways? Why or why not?

-(Ask Students): How can you resist the pressure to join in something that looks cool but actually leads to harm, to yourself and to others?

In the same pairs or groups, ask students to act out how they would resist a peer's invitation to try a watermelon e-cigarette they found.

Remember when we talked about how people make decisions in Lesson 1? Sometimes our choices can be influenced by friends or by ads we see. Let's learn more about how that happens.

(Educator Note): If the activity is done to completion, it meets National Health Standard 4.5.5 Demonstrate refusal skills to use in a variety of situations.

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WHO IS THIS?

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WHAT IS THIS?

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WHAT IS THIS?

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Flavors

Messaging

Colors

Shape

Like how candy packaging uses bright colors to make you want to pick it up.

Making products look like toys or everyday objects.

Trying to seem fun, cool, or relatable so more people will want to try their products.

By offering flavors like fruit, candy, or mint to seem more appealing.

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"WE DO REALIZE THAT TODAY'S TEENAGER IS TOMORROW'S POTENTIAL REGULAR CUSTOMER"

-TOBACCO INDUSTRY

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Talking points:

(Educator note): Show students the ad on the screen and ask them to share, write down, or simply just think about the following questions:

-What do you notice first about this ad?

-What colors, pictures, words, or characters are being used?

-How do you think the ad wants people to feel?

-What message is the ad trying to send?

(Tell students): Advertisers carefully choose colors, images, words, and designs to grab people's attention and influence their choices. Today, we're going to become advertisers too—but instead of promoting e-cigarettes, we're going to create an ad that shares the truth and encourages healthy choices.

Your goal is to create a counter-ad. A counter-ad responds to an advertisement by showing a different message or point of view. Think about the ad on the screen and create a new ad that challenges its message.

(Educator Note): Using the tactics that they learned (colors, shapes etc.) have your students make their own ad. Except this time, have them flip the script and make an anti-vaping ad, as if the tobacco/nicotine industry told the truth about their harmful products.

They can either draw, make a poster, cut out images from a magazine or newspaper etc.

Procedures

-Gather old or new magazines, newspapers, scissors, glue, and other craft supplies that you would like to use.

-Students make their ads on a small to medium size white or black poster.

-Have student use the materials to make an Anti-Vaping/Smoking ad

Each student or group (2-3 students) can share their ad with the class.

Bonus: Hang all of the anti-vaping ads around the classroom or school.

(Educator Note): If the optional activity is done to completion, it meets National Health Standard 8.5.4. Demonstrate how to advocate for health and well-being.

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ENVIRONMENT

Act II

The ways e-cigarettes can affect the environment around us.

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THE BATTERY

E-Cigarettes have a battery and it can't be thrown away because it can explode!

THE PLASTIC

The rest of the e-cigarette is made of plastic, and we all know plastic isn't good for the earth

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PHOTOVOICE VIDEO

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STRESS & WELLNESS

Act III

How healthy coping skills can help you manage stress instead of using e-cigarettes.

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POSITIVE STRESS

Positive stress helps us do our best, like feeling excited before a game.

Negative stress, also called distress, makes it hard to get through the day and can make us feel stuck.

NEGATIVE STRESS

Talking Points:

There are two types of stress.

Positive stress is short-term. Everyone experiences it. It's what motivates you. It can be exciting and can help you achieve things.

Can you name some examples of positive stress? (take some student responses)

Great responses everyone! Here are a few more examples of positive stress: planning a trip; playing sports; and going on a rollercoaster.

Negative stress, also known as distress, is also common. It can be both short- or long-term. It feels unpleasant, and makes you anxious or worried.

People in distress may feel that they are not able to manage or cope with changes caused by normal life activities.

Can you name some examples of negative stress? (take a few student responses)

Great responses everyone! Here are a few more examples (having an exam; not doing well in sports)

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WHAT MIGHT YOU STRESS ABOUT?

Making Friends

Injuries

Bullying

Family

Doing well in school

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REDUCING STRESS

Sometimes people use tobacco/nicotine to make them feel better.

Using tobacco/nicotine might seem like it helps at first, but it makes things harder over time and creates new problems for your brain and body.

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WHAT ARE SOME HEALTHY WAYS TO COPE WITH STRESS?

Listen to Music

Play a game

Exercise

Make something with your hands

Read

Talk about it

Meditate

Garden

Spend time with your family

Sleep

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CREATE A CALMING KIT

Draw a toolkit and fill it with three coping skills you can use when stressed!

Talking Points:

Activity: Create a Calming Kit!

(Tell students): Now, we're going to build a calming kit filled with coping skills we can use when we feel worried, frustrated, nervous, or overwhelmed. Remember, everyone is different, so no two kits will look exactly the same. We can use some of the examples you learned today to add to your calming kit. Now, let's create a calming kit!

In your notebooks or a sheet of paper, draw a kit like the one on the slide, or however you imagine it would look like. Fill the kit by either drawing or writing in three coping skills you can use when you feel stressed.

(Educator note): Some examples to share with students include:

- taking deep breaths

- going for a walk

- drawing or coloring

- reading a book

- counting to 10

- listening to music

- talking to a trusted adult

(Educator note): While students are working, ask them the following guiding questions:

- Which tool would help you best if you felt nervous before a test?

- Which tool would help you most if you felt angry or frustrated?

Once students complete their toolbox, have them share with a partner which tool they would use the most often when they feel stressed.

(Tell students): Thank you for your creativity and participation! These are all great examples of ways we can cop when stressed. Just remember that YOU are in the director's chair.

(Educator Note): If the activity is done to completion, it meets National Health Standard 1.5.4 Explain ways to engage in health-promoting behaviors, including how to manage health conditions.

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What If I Need Help?

Tell your parents, teacher, doctor, or any adult you trust or go to a trusted place where you feel safe.

A trusted adult is a grown-up you know well and feel safe talking to.

Your school counselor is one of the best people to talk to. You can ask your teacher to help you find them.

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WRAP UP

Turn and tell a partner:

One thing the tobacco industry does to target YOU-th
One healthy way to cope with stress

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Tobacco/nicotine companies try to trick kids into trying their products

It's ok to be stressed and there are healthy ways to deal with that stress

Using e-cigarettes can harm the environment

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POST/AFTER SURVEY

https://qrco.de/behk7d

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