Method: The research question for this study is as follows: Should smokers and obese people be required to pay

a health care premium for their lifestyle choices? It is hypothesized that most Canadians would be in favour of these particular individuals paying this extra health care premium. Primary research will be conducted through surveying Nelson students in grades nine through twelve. Survey research will be performed because the purpose of this study focuses on whether or not a Nelson student supports the idea of a health care premium for obese and smoking individuals, not why an individual would support or oppose it. Therefore, the quantity of short and opinionated responses to survey questions is more valuable than the quality of a lengthy, rich and opinionated response to interview questions. By co-defying survey questions, quantitative data can be concluded from the qualitative results by tabulating and graphing responses. The target group for this experiment includes 32 Nelson High School students from grades nine, ten, eleven and twelve. The focus will strictly be on whether or not their opinions concerning the prevalence and effects of smoking and obesity in Canada are influenced by their current health statuses. A sample population will be narrowed down to teenagers attending high school because age (as a variable), is intended to be kept controlled. In addition, high school students are often viewed as the future of the Canadian population. Their opinions can influence the overall health of the generations to come. For the amount of smoking and obese individuals to decrease, it is going to take leadership and an immense amount of time; time that current middle-aged world leaders do not have. Teenagers who have seen the societal effects of these

unhealthy lifestyles in the past and present can use their knowledge to initiate social to create social change and improve the overall health of the Canadian population. The future of the prevalence of obesity and smoking individuals in Canada lies in the hands of the teenagers, therefore it is important to receive their opinions on the topics. Thus, adults, children or elderly individuals will not be surveyed. An even number of male and female students filling out the surveys will not be important for this experiment as sex is not intended to be a controlled variable; diversity in sexes is all that will matter to reduce sources of bias. The surveys will be handed out to grade nine, ten, eleven and twelve classrooms on Thursday, December 12, 2013.