Story 1

The announcement is a major one. It was made at a press conference this morning in the office of Enrico Lowdes, director of the Regional Medical Center. The announcement is that the hospital is one of 10 medical facilities located throughout the entire United States selected to participate in an important new study the purpose of which is to determine whether or not a new technique will be successful in helping smokers to stop smoking. The hospital will not accept volunteers to participate in the experiment. Rather, Lowdes said, doctors in the city will be asked to refer a total of 800 of their patients who smoke and want to stop smoking to the hospital for participation in the experiment. Lowdes noted that nicotine is as addictive as cocaine or heroin. That may explain why 28% of adult Americans smoke. Experts estimate that as many as 90% of those who now smoke say they would like to quit. Many have tried to kick the habit many times but failed. The most difficult part of kicking the habit, Lowdes said, is acute withdrawal symptoms ranging from physical cravings, nervousness, irritation, difficulty concentrating, difficulty sleeping, and changes in appetite. That is why the Regional Medical Center sought to be one of 10 medical facilities in the United States to test a new nicotine patch that may help smokers who want to discontinue the habit ease the pain of withdrawal. Lowdes explained that the smokers asked to participate in the study will be prescribed adhesive patches. They will be instructed that, as soon as they get up in the morning, they are to apply one of the patches to their upper body. The patch releases a steady level of nicotine throughout the day. It is less nicotine, however, than that provided by cigarettes – but is thought to be enough to alleviate withdrawal symptoms. Nicotine gum is designed to work in much the same way, but some evidence indicates that the patch may be more effective because some people find the gum hard to chew, chew it improperly, or don't use it in sufficient quantity. The 800 patients will be monitored monthly for an entire year in an attempt to determine how many are helped by the patches: how many succeed in stopping smoking over a period of 1 year. Lowdes added finally that the patch may also help smokers quit smoking without gaining as much weight as sometimes happens to smokers who quit the habit.

Story 2

A new law that goes into effect next fall will affect elementary, junior high and high school students throughout the state. The state Legislature enacted the law, and the governor signed it today. Basically, the law prohibits the sale of so-called junk food at public schools. So, as a result of the law's passage, the content of all school vending machines will undergo a drastic change. The machines no longer will contain any candy bars, gum, soda or other foods with high sugar content. Instead, they will be replaced by foods which are considered by many to be more healthy, foods such as canned soups and juices, jerky, toasted soy beans, sunflower seeds, yogurt, nuts, cheese, popcorn, pretzels, ice cream and milk. The law was supported by physicians, dentists and educators, who testified in legislative hearings that many students bought snacks and soft drinks from machines instead of eating the more nutritious meals served in school cafeterias. Other persons, primarily food manufacturers and vending-machine operators, opposed the law. Students, too, generally opposed it, claiming that their rights were being violated and that they were old enough to make their own decisions about what they want to eat. Some school principals also opposed the law, pointing out the fact that the law will be costly since they receive a percentage of the receipts of the vending machines located in their buildings. Some big high schools earn up to $20,000 a year from machines and use the money to buy materials that would not otherwise be available, such as supplemental textbooks, library materials, calculators for their mathematics laboratories, television cameras for their communications classes, and athletic equipment. School bands and athletic programs will be hurt most severely by the loss of revenue. The practice of showing free movies at some schools may also come to a quick end, since many were financed by vending machine revenues. Critics said it was inconsistent for schools to teach good nutrition in classes and then make food with high sugar content easily available. The ban will be in effect only during school hours, so the junk food will still be able to be sold after school hours, such as during school dances and sports events, so schools can continue to earn a limited amount of money from their sale. One opponent added, "There's simply no sense in talking to kids about dental care and good nutrition and selling them junk food at the same time." Opponents responded that students will buy candy anyway, simply going off campus to buy it.