Teens Against Tobacco Use ~ Teachers Take Action

Classroom Activities:

Exploring the Warnings
Give students the new warnings on cigarette packages and ask them to select the strongest statement (the one that would discourage them from starting to smoke). Using the overhead projector, record responses and ask them to give reasons for their choices.
Tobacco Advertising
Show magazine ads for cigarettes and ask what elements were used to persuade someone to smoke, what is being promised if you use the product, who is the ad aimed at (age, gender).
True Tobacco Ads
Have students create their own tobacco advertisements, uncovering the truth. see examples

Make tobacco part of the curriculum
Encourage all staff to integrate tobacco education into their classes. For example:

The Media Studies class could look at tobacco industry marketing
Chemistry could look at the content of tobacco smoke or cigarettes
Math students can solve the equation of what it costs to smoke and how much money is saved after x number of days
Survey Methodology: conduct a school smoking survey
Biology could look at why tobacco smoke causes shortness of breath
English class could write an essay on how they have been affected by tobacco or how they feel about the new smoke free places act
Health class could learn how cigarettes cause disease
The French class could learn about the culture of smoking in France (statistics, laws, opinions, etc.).

Host a Parents B.E.S.T. workshop at your school
They are delivered free of charge by Ridgewood Addiction Services, phone: 674-4300.

Poll Staff:
"Do you support the anti-tobacco initiative at this high school?" You will then be able to demonstrate to others that you have __% support to the tobacco-free initiative.

Reach out to individual students
Demonstrate to smokers that you genuinely care about their well-being. Ask if they have considered quitting, let them know about the cessation program at your school and/or one-on-one counseling services, keep a stock of sugar-free gum and water at your desk for students trying to quit and let them know it is available.

Reduce Opportunities for Students to Smoke
Instead of two 10 minute breaks, have one 5 minute break and one 15 minute break. Students can then spend only one morning break outside smoking. (at Hampton High this also reduced tardiness to classes)

Provide smoking alternatives For students trying to quit: sugarfree candy and gum, suckers, water, stress balls

Review existing school policies
Tobacco-free athletics, scent-free, attendance, drug-free

Provide a Morning Breakfast Program
For students who arrive early this may keep them away from experimenting with cigarettes while they wait for class to start. Visit Breakfast for Learning for information and grant applications to help pay for the food. Dalhousie High School receives a grant from this program.

Offer a quit-smoking program
Choose a program that works well with your school environment and will address the needs of the students who have shown interest in quitting.

Create Inviting Smoke-free areas
Always make sure your high school offers a variety of activities and 'hang-out' spaces during noon. This has many, many benefits. Some ideas...courtyard beautification, games room, upgrade the phys-ed equipment, a lounge with comfy couches. Don't rule out asking smoking students what they would like to have, what activities your school could make available that they would enjoy during the noon hour.

Communicate with Parents
Consider sending letters to parents of all students who hang around in the smoking group. English example | French example

Increase staff supervision
To ensure students are not smoking on school property or in washrooms.

Support a student-powered anti-tobacco club at your school
...such as TATU!

Ensure that students are always involved in planning and implementing activities at your school. These activities will fall under one of three categories: activities that reduce opportunities to smoke (dances, clubs, smoke-free activities at noon), activities that are inconsistent with smoking (a smoke-free sports policy), and anti-tobacco activities (TATU club, staffing an information booth).

A non-addicted student is a healthier learner