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Year 7

The impact of smoking and vaping

I can describe the physical and social impacts of smoking and vaping and explain how best to say no to peer pressure.

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New
New
Year 7

The impact of smoking and vaping

I can describe the physical and social impacts of smoking and vaping and explain how best to say no to peer pressure.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Smoking and vaping are linked to serious health concerns.
  2. Making healthy choices benefits physical and mental health; quitting smoking or vaping is an example of healthy choices.
  3. Smoking and vaping can impact a person socially.
  4. Saying no assertively rather than aggresively can help challenge peer pressure.

Keywords

  • Tar - a substance in tobacco smoke that can cause cancer and damage to the lungs

  • Healthy choices - decisions that contribute to physical and mental wellbeing

  • Peer pressure - when you feel pushed by friends to act a certain way, make choices or do things just to fit in with the group

Common misconception

Smoking only affects the lungs.

Smoking affects multiple body systems, increasing the risk of heart disease, strokes and respiratory illnesses.


To help you plan your year 7 rshe (pshe) lesson on: The impact of smoking and vaping, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Deliver this lesson with caution as it contains sensitive information about serious illnesses caused by smoking and vaping which pupils may have direct experience of. Speak to your designated safeguarding lead if you have concerns about specific students in your class.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of mental health issues
  • Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
True or false? Vapes contain tar.
Correct Answer: false, incorrect, F, not true
Q2.
What is the definition of addictive?
a highly addictive stimulant substance
Correct answer: something that makes you want to keep using it or doing it, even if it's bad
a substance in tobacco smoke that can cause cancer and damage the lungs
Q3.
True or false? Illegal vapes can be hard to spot.
Correct Answer: True, Correct, T
Q4.
A vape is legal if it contains no more than of nicotine.
1%
Correct answer: 2%
4%
5%
Q5.
Cigarettes contain harmful substances.
40
50
Correct answer: 70
80
Q6.
Which of the following statements about vapes is incorrect?
Vapes contain substances also found in skin care products.
Vapes contain substances also found in nail polish remover.
Correct answer: Vapes contain substances also found when burning fossil fuels.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the definition of healthy choices?
Correct answer: decisions that contribute to physical and mental well-being
influence from members of one's peer group to act in a certain way
a substance in tobacco smoke that can cause cancer and damage the lungs
Q2.
True or false? Smoking only damages the heart.
Correct Answer: False, Incorrect, F, Not true
Q3.
Which of the following statements are healthy choices?
Correct answer: never smoking or vaping
starting to vape due to peer pressure
only smoking at social events
Correct answer: quitting smoking or vaping
Q4.
Which of the following is an example of an aggressive way to say no to peer pressure?
I'm just not into that kind of thing
Correct answer: you're an idiot if you smoke
no thank you I don't want to try
let's talk about something else
Q5.
Which of the following is not a social impact of smoking and vaping?
irritability with others due to withdrawals
smelling of cigarette smoke or scented vapour
Correct answer: lung scarring
yellowing of fingertips and teeth
Q6.
Chemicals in vapes can harm a young person's development.
Correct Answer: brain, mind, physical