DR. WALLACE: I will be graduating from high school in a few months with high honors. My parents would like to buy me a car as a graduation gift. They said their budget is $15,000 dollars for my car. Both of my parents are attorneys, so they can afford it. However, I would prefer to have a $5,000 Computer system, a $5,000 car and $5,000 in a bank savings account. They insist that I should get a $15,000 car because they don't want me to experience car problems. What do you think? — Kaitlyn, Blue Bell, Pa.
KAITLYN: If you shop around, it's possible to find a vehicle that provides reliable, basic transportation for around $5K. It won't be anything fancy but that would leave the remainder of the budget for the computer system and some savings. Therefore, I prefer your plan. You are a very fortunate young lady to have this type of a budget for a graduation gift! I wish every teen in the world had a similar opportunity.
A SMOKE DETECTOR IS A MUST
DR. WALLACE: My grandmother lives alone about 5 miles from our house. At school two members of the National Fire Protection Association talked to our class about the importance of having a smoke detector near every bedroom in every home. We had one detector in our whole house, so I asked my dad to put up two more, by my bedroom and my brother's bedroom. I also had him install one next to our grandmother's bedroom, as she didn't have one in her house.
Two weeks ago, a fire broke out in our grandmother's house. The smoke alarm sounded and she got out of her house safely and even saved her dog. I want to remind all teens reading your column to make sure they have a smoke detector that works located near every bedroom in every house. They should also test them regularly to make sure they're in good working condition. — Isabella, Las Cruces N.M.
ISABELLA: Excellent advice! What a wonderful feeling to know you played a major role in saving your grandmother's life, and her dog's too!
According to the American Red Cross, smoke detectors reduce the chances of dying in a fire by 50 percent. Even though 90 percent of our American homes have at least one smoke detector installed, the Red Cross estimates about one third of all fires occur at residences that do not have working smoke detectors.
ELIMINATE SMOKING, ELIMINATE LUNG CANCER
DR. WALLACE: I'm 19 and a second year student at Indiana University. My field of study is pre-law. I am also a smoker (a pack a day) and I enjoy each delicious puff. I truly like cigarettes and I have no intention of stopping my habit. All I read in newspapers, magazines and on-line is that cigarettes lead to lung cancer. Every story is a "scare" story. But be honest, don't a lot of people get lung cancer even though they've never smoked themselves? — Brandon, Bloomington, In.
BRANDON: It's true that some people who have never smoked or spent much time around smokers still have been diagnosed with lung cancer. But according to the American Cancer Society, if everyone in the world quit smoking, 83 percent of the cases of lung cancer would be eliminated. The death rate for lung cancer victims is so high because the illnesses very difficult to detect in its early stages.
Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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