Tobacco Education Guidelines and Resources

Reasons for Intervention Strategies Smoking is the #1 most preventable health problem in America, accounting for 30% of all cancers & 30-40% of all CV diseases Tobacco industries have lied about: nicotine addiction/marketing to kids [12+]. Each day $13 million is spent to get 5,000 new smokers (most < 18 years old); 3000 will become addicted 1/3 of smokers will die prematurely; second- hand smoke; smoking-pregnancy

CDC’s Guidelines for School Programs to Prevent Tobacco Use 1. Policy 2. Instruction 3. Curriculum 4. Training 5. Family involvement 6. Tobacco cessation efforts 7. Evaluation

Policy Prohibit all tobacco use on school premises, in school vehicles, and at school functions. Prohibit tobacco advertising (signs, clothing, in publications). Require student instruction on avoiding tobacco use. Help students who violate policies rather than punish.

Instruction Program focus on decreasing social acceptability Teaching resistance skills (from peers/media) Assertiveness, goal setting, problem solving Helping students understand why young people start and offer alternatives Resources – CDC, ACS, ALA, NCI, AHA, etc.

Instruction Programs that only discuss tobacco’s harmful effects/instill fear DO NOT prevent use (CDC). Social influences, resistance programs significantly reduce adolescent smoking, but effects only last 1-3 years (Surgeon General, 1994).

Curriculum Prevention education K-12. DARE (ineffective) Michigan model (good) Quest: Skills for growing (good) (Making the grade: A guide to school drug prevention programs, Telephone:

Training Provide program-specific teacher training

Family Involvement Promote discussion at home about tobacco use by assigning homework and projects that involve families. Encourage parents to participate in community efforts to prevent tobacco use and addiction.

Tobacco Cessation Efforts Provide programs that help students/staff to quit rather than punishment. (However, the Surgeon General [1994] reports that smoking cessation programs have low success rates [especially teen recruitment & retention rates] for formal programs.

Evaluation Assess the tobacco-use prevention program at regular intervals. Schools can use the:  CDC Guidelines for School Health Programs to Prevent Tobacco Use and Addition [available ], or;  Access the internet at: [Click on School Health Index & then School Health Index  SHI for Middle and High Schools and then Resources for School Physical Activity, Healthy Eating, and Tobacco-Free Lifestyle SHI for Middle and High Schools Resources for School Physical Activity, Healthy Eating, and Tobacco-Free Lifestyle

Educating Youth about Tobacco Ads Classroom instruction. (CDC Guidelines, etc.) Formal Programs/Materials:  CDC’s MediaSharp (for middle and high school): teacher’s guide, 7 min. video and activities. Available free by phone at:  CDC’s MTV Talks Tobacco (for middle and High School): Gabrielle Reece/”Real World”) 2-part video & discussion guide. Available free: MTV Talks Tobacco, Office of Smoking & Health, Mail Stop K-50, 4770 Buford Highway NE, Atlanta, GA  MA dept. of Public Health: Smoke Screeners. Ed. program that teaches kids media literacy & critical analysis. Free at:

Educating Youth about Tobacco Ads Counteradvertising efforts:  CDC Media Campaign Resource Center provides info (MediaSharp, Media Campaign Resource Book, etc.) and direct technical assistance in all material development Focus Group Review for Effectiveness  Assessing youth attitudes, beliefs, and effectiveness of ads (Peracchio & Luna, 1998). Student Advocacy  E.g. SWAT, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids ($10 video/brochure, 1707 L. Street, NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC Professional Deglamorization Ads: SWAT’s “Truth.com”

Drug Ed. Programs/Resources DASA – Department of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse IDASA – Illinois Department of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse (State affiliate of DASA). Provides full or partial funding for the following programs:  Prevention First/Prevention Resource Center. AV, books, posters, pamphlets, facts for all drugs and other health topics.  In-Touch programs. (Regional Offices, e.g. CEAD in Mattoon). Guest speakers [some $], peer training, pamphlets, programs [Operation Snowball], etc.

IDASA programs (cont.)  McGruff. Generally located in County Sheriff’s office. Drug prevention and safety information [I- Search, abduction, etc.]  DARE – Drug Abuse Resistance Education. Programs at elementary and secondary levels. Most commonly in 5 th or 6 th grade. A 15 week program taught in schools by a trained uniformed police officer.  IDOT – Il. Dept. of Transportation. Handouts, posters, BAL wheel, Convincer [Crash simulator program. 18+/EIU based out of Office of Safety Programs

Other Resources American Cancer Society (ACS)  Posters, pamphlets, AV, pre-established curriculum, statistics, etc. [Pre-school, elementary, secondary, college, etc.] American Lung Association (ALA)  Posters, pamphlets, AV, etc. [$ in bulk] Illinois Department of Public Health – posters, pamphlets Hospitals – ENCARE program, etc. Distributors – posters, pamphlets, etc. Insurance Companies  E.g. State Farm, Country Companies, etc. Pamphlets, AV, on-site programs, etc.

Other Resources (cont.) Universities Formal Programs:  Michigan Model  Quest  Here’s Looking at You  Lion’s Club Drug Prevention, etc. For program quality check:  Making the Grade: A Guide to School Drug Prevention Programs  “Elements of a Good Drug Program”