CM Magazine: Caffeine & Nicotine (Drug Abuse Prevention Library).

________________ CM . . . . Volume VII Number 9 . . . . January 5, 2001

Caffeine & Nicotine (Drug Abuse Prevention Library).

Richard S. Lee & Mary Price Lee.
New York, NY: Rosen (Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books), 1997, ©1994.
64 pp., pbk., $10.95.
ISBN 1-56838-168-9.

Subject Headings:
Caffeine habit-Juvenile literature.
Tobacco habit-Juvenile literature.
Drug abuse-Prevention-Juvenile literature.

Grades 4 - 8 / Ages 9 - 13.

Review by Linda Aksomitis.

**1/2 /4

excerpt:

Did you know that when you drink a cola or eat a chocolate bar, you are using a drug? That drug is completely legal for people of any age to buy, but it may be harmful you.
This book is about two drugs. You can become addicted to them; that is, your body can crave them. They can harm you, and their dangers are well known.
These drugs are caffeine and nicotine. You should watch carefully how much you get of the first one, if you feel that you must use it. You should not use the second one at all.
This book will tell you why these drugs are dangerous.

Caffeine & Nicotine is a nonfiction book for juvenile readers. Just 64 pages long, it has a table of contents, index, glossary, list of books for further reading and a help list of associations to contact. The print is larger than normal, and it makes use of bold font for subheadings and italics for significant words. It has ample black and white, and some color illustrations.

The authors utilize several different methods of delivering their information to young readers. Each section has a scenario involving a young person abusing one of the drugs, and then the text goes on to discuss the relevant information. Facts, as well as statistics, are presented throughout the text.

I found the material was delivered in a concise, non-didactic form. It didn't preach at young people to avoid these drugs, but rather it reviewed the reasons why they may use them. For instance, it discusses the fact that more girls are starting to smoke than boys, one of the reasons for this being that cigarette smoking seems to contribute to keeping weight down. The authors also address the effect that advertising and peer pressure may have on young people.

The only problem with this book is its copyright date of 1994; statistics and data used are already obsolete. For instance, the opening statement that people of any age can purchase nicotine products is not true today. Also, many laws have changed with regards to advertising these products.

Recommended with Reservations.

Saskatchewan's Linda Aksomitis worked in K-12 school libraries for a decade before becoming an author herself. She is currently working in the field of online education.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - January 5, 2001.