3353 Barriger Dr.

Charlotte, NC 28217
May 5,2016
Judges,Graduation project Boards
Harding University High school
2001 Alleghany St.
Charlotte, NC 28208
Dear Judges:
As a student here at Harding University High school, the Graduation Project has provided me
with more probe into a topic I had long wanted to know more about but just had not taken the
time to explore in depth. I chose to research the damages of smoking cigarettes because I dont
feel people takes smoking as serious as they should.
Last year I had an uncle develop lung cancer and die from smoking too many cigarettes a day.
This really sparked my interest of wanting to research more of the damages of smoking cigarettes
and how much harm it can do to your body. I have sustained my interest in the damage of
smoking cigarettes, and therefore I have been involved in trying to find ways to have people take
smoking and their lives more serious and the effects of smoking cigarettes.
During the research I learned that cigarettes can be very detrimental to the human body. However,
the most important thing I learned is that when you lit a cigarette, you unleash more than 4,000
chemicals. Also researchers have found that more than 10 times as many U.S. citizens have died
prematurely from cigarette smoking than have died in all the wars fought by the United States
during its history. This letter knowledge is what motivated me to do more research to find ways to
prevent smokers from wanting to pick up another cigarette.
The strongest drug in a cigarette is called nicotine, nicotine in small doses acts as a stimulant.
After you take a puff of a cigarette nicotine reaches the brain in eight seconds. When exposed to
nicotine smokers are at a higher risk for developing a disease called leukoplakia. In even larger
doses, nicotine is a lethal poison and after it hits the brain nicotine locks into receptors on neurons
making the smoker feel alert and satisfied.
Working on this project has really helped my understanding of the harmful effects of smoking
cigarettes, secondhand smoke, and how cigarette smoking is not only harmful to the smoker but to
those around them. The kids around smoking are at a higher risk developing disability and early
death. There are many health effects when it comes to smoking a cigarette,When you pick up a
cigarette and put it up to your mouth, youre putting your life at risk. This experience has really
showed me the harm smokers are doing to their body and Im hoping by doing this project it

Dionna Black

would make smokers want to put the cigarette down. Thank you for your time and interest. I hope
you enjoy my presentation.