A jar of brightly colored lollipops got a lot of attention at the Wellness Fair May 3, but the jar of brown muck at the same table kept it. "That's what's in your lungs after smoking for a year," explained Katherine Haxthausen, of the Tarrant Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, as she pointed to the jar filled with a thick, gooey liquid and a crumpled package of cigarettes. Haxthausen staffed one of 30 vendor booths at the annual Wellness Fair hosted by the health science center for employees and students. "I wish my daughter could see that," said one woman, while another reached for a poster about the effects of drugs on teens and one of the lollipops, which were stamped with a "no smoking" symbol. Haxthausen said people are often surprised by the information about smoking that she provides. "It's eye-opening to see what you're doing to yourself," she said. "People think, 'OK, it's just a cigarette,' but one cigarette includes 300 chemicals, including arsenic and formaldehyde."

About 350 people attended this year's fair, which provided information not just about the negative effects of smoking, but also about wellness in all aspects of life. The fair covered topics ranging from massages to mental health, providing information about nutrition, fire prevention, Alzheimer's disease, weight loss and more. The Bayer booth gave away free electronic glucose monitors, and the Tarrant County Health Department screened for diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure. "I was very, very pleased," said Susie Quintana, health promotion manager, after the fair. "All the participants shared very positive comments about the vendors. I am extremely pleased with how it turned out."

Tracy Fannin, who hosted a booth with her husband for his new company, The Body Firm, toured the other booths with her 2-year-old daughter, Faith, between her shifts at the booth. Fannin said her husband's booth quickly ran out of the 40 entry slips they brought for the iPod give-away. "I was surprised at how many people showed up," she said. "I picked up some information, and we got scolded for not checking our smoke detectors," she said with a laugh, then motioned to Faith, "and she went for the lollipop."