E-cigarette

The electronic cigarette or e-cigarette is an electromechanical or electronic device generating an aerosol intended to be inhaled. It produces a "vapor" or "artificial smoke" visually resembling the smoke produced by the combustion of tobacco. This vapor can be flavored - aroma of blond, dark tobacco, fruit, etc. - and may or may not contain nicotine.
Source: Wikipedia
A panacea or a trap?
While some see it as an almost magical solution to quitting smoking, the warnings keep reminding us to be careful.
 

Goals

- Appropriate information about electronic cigarettes
- Consult and compare different sources of information
- Develop your own opinion on the subject
- Defend it, in writing and orally, using justifiable arguments
 

Suggested Activities

ACTIVITY 1: A very controversial subject

The following readings will allow the student to form an opinion on the subject. At the end of these readings, he can list the main points of the controversy, and possibly take a position.
But first, what is it?
This first reading will allow your students to familiarize themselves with it:
Electronic cigarette / Wikipedia
 
Invite students to read the articles below in order to complete the following table:

Click on the image to enlarge.
Download the source file in Word format (.doc)
Download the file in PDF format (.pdf)

1. Doctors in defense of electronic cigarettes.
Published on the Radio-Canada.ca website, 11/29/2013
2. 100 doctors mobilize and support the electronic cigarette :
Published on the website http://www.ecig-arrete.fr 11/16/2013
And the cons:
1. The electronic cigarette: far from being a miracle cure for quitting smoking :
Posted in Le Devoir du 24/01/2014
2. The ban on electronic cigarettes in public places envisaged :
Posted in Le Soleil on 01/29/2014
Finally, ask the students to write an opinion piece based on all the information obtained and present it to the class in the form of an oral presentation.
 

ACTIVITY 2: Here and elsewhere

The following text will compare the different points of view of certain countries.
Update on electronic cigarettes
Published on the website of the Association for the Rights of Non-smokers, in March 2012
Ask your students to compare what is allowed in your country and elsewhere, based on the previous text and additional research on this subject.

Click on the image to enlarge.
Download the source file in Word format (.doc)
Download the file in PDF format (.pdf)

For further

I vape, you vape, we vape ...
The pupils will see in this article, that the choice of the vocabulary used to illustrate this new reality was not made smoothly.
What would have been your proposal, among all those that have been suggested?
Invite students to construct a sentence with their proposition and to justify it.
Invite a few students to share their proposal.