ummy do you know what? Yesterday in the afternoon when we were coming back from school, John and Jude wanted me to smoke like they do.

As we were sloping down to the trading center near our house, they requested me to escort them to a shop.

I didn’t know exactly what they wanted to buy, probably some sweets..! Some biscuits..! I thought in my mind.

Mummy, when we reached the shop, I was so shocked when Jude and john asked for cigarettes to smoke...!

I didn’t say anything but I was so surprised; I kept quiet thinking of how fast I could escape them to tell you the whole story.

But as I was thinking that in my mind, Jude my favourite friend called me by names Tom …Tom can we share, Can you have a smoke too…?

Fear filled my heart and I almost fainted, I kept quiet for another minute remembering the dangers in smoking.

In those few minutes I remembered what you (mum) told me about children and smoking. Smoking causes cancer, loss of appetite and bad breath.

In this moment of my silence, I all of a sudden felt Jude’s hand on my right hand forcing me to pick the stick of cigarette but what save me, was an old man who was passing by. He found Jude forcing me to smoke.

With much anger and strength, the old man lifted the two friends up to their homes. They were punished by their parents.

The following day they were brought on the general assembly for further punishments before other children.

The entire school was called upon not to smoke because smoking is dangerous to the health of young people.

Ends