Learning Objectives: Implement an anti tobacco program at the school level modeled off one currently achieving much success with middle school youth.
Abstract: 90 percent of regular smokers began to smoke at or before age 18. This is the problem at hand, and the one this presentation discusses. A study of a program implemented for over 1,000 middle school students in New York State will be presented. This program is unique in the fact that is completely youth implemented and facilitated. The recent revelation of the failure of D.A.R.E. programs nationwide has cause a shift in the foundations of prevention education. It is excruciatingly evident that today’s youth learn by example, most often from their peers rather than adults or other authority figures. Due to this fact, youth led movements have gained momentum and credit nationwide, and this presentation highlights one such program. This is a comprehensive program which takes place over several months and includes a ‘kick off’ poster contest, classroom education, an extremely entertaining “Mock Trial for Mr. Butts”, and a culminating event, a “Lock In”. These are all youth facilitated events, and the target group is being educated through entertainment—barely realizing they are learning at all!
Attitude survey results, which will be discussed during the presentation, show a clear change in the target students’ attitudes towards tobacco use after seeing their peers reject it and being educated by them on its dangers.
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