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The mission 

of the American Lung Association is to prevent lung disease and promote lung health.

1-877-966-8784 

or 

304-599-6981.

Last updated 9/22/2004

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Help Teens Keep their New Year’s Resolutions to QUIT smoking:

Each year thousands of Americans make a New Year’s resolution to quit smoking.  Teenagers are no different. Sixty Seven percent of teens wish they could stop using and Seventy Percent wish they had never started using tobacco.

Not On Tobacco (N-O-T) can help solve the smoking problem among teenagers in West Virginia.  Teens who smoke are at risk for developing a lifelong addiction that can cause serious health problems and cut years off their lives.  Teenagers who want to stop smoking need help, and they don't always get it. 

N-O-T in Action:

Twenty Seven percent of High Schools and some Middle Schools already provide this valuable, life changing, assistance to their students. This grant year we estimate that 433 students have participated in our programs so far. Schools have offered a total of 64 N-O-T clinics and we are averaging a 20 percent Quit rate (last year we finished the school year with a 30% qr) and 59 percent reduction rate. Schools have implemented ATS a total of 38 times. Although this is not a cessation program we are still averaging an 11 percent quit rate and a 10 percent reducing rate.

The objectives of the program include helping teenagers to:

ü      Stop smoking or;

ü      Reduce the number of cigarettes smoked;

ü      Increase healthy lifestyle behaviors (diet, exercise);

ü      Improve life management skills (dealing with stress, avoiding peer pressure).

N-O-T is researched and evaluation based.  It was specifically designed for teenagers by the American Lung Association in collaboration with researchers from the Prevention Research Center at WVU. Includes a highly detailed ten-session core curriculum, with weekly meetings lasting approximately fifty minutes (less than one class in a block schedule).

Uses diverse instruction methods (e.g. small group discussion, journal activities, role playing and handouts.) N-O-T is gender-specific, and recognizes that males and females have different reasons for starting to smoke, for quitting and relapsing.

Reinforces smoking reduction as a benefit if students do not succeed in quitting.

As a part of the N-O-T facilitator training, the facilitators also are trained in the ALA Alternative-to-Suspension program (ATS).  ATS is mandatory program for students who are being disciplined for violating school policy.

Includes facilitator training by ALA staff.

The American Lung Association offers a $50 mini-grant per clinic to be used for supplies (refreshments, journals, goody-bags, etc.).  After the ALA receives the needed evaluation packets and paperwork, the facilitators receive a $250 stipend, made possible by the WV Bureau for Public Health Division of Tobacco Prevention and the West Virginia Department of Education

Evaluation results show that N-O-T works!

 

Ø      22% of participants were smoke-free six months after the program ended.

Ø      Of those who continued to smoke, 65% reduced their smoking on weekdays, and 75% on weekends.

Ø      85% believed N-O-T helped them alter their smoking behavior. 

Ø      Nearly 90% either quit or reduced their smoking.

To learn how to provide these programs for you children or for more information please contact Tony Richards at 1-800-LUNG USA or in Charleston 342-6600.

I also would like to congratulate all the early starters for this year! The following schools are already providing N-O-T & ATS programs in their schools this year.

                      NOT ON TOBACCO PROGRAMS

                       ALTERNATIVE TO SUSPENSION

                School                                                          Contact

REMINDERS

Don’t forget to order your student journals at least one week before your program is scheduled to start.

Another way of getting incentives is community donations. Explain to local businesses that you are trying to help teens stop smoking, and you will get anything from pizza to sodas donated. This is an excellent way of forming education/community partnerships.

STIPENDS

The West Virginia Department of Education’s continued support of the N-O-T program is allowing us to once again provide the $250 stipend for N-O-T classes and $100 stipends for ATS classes. Please remember that stipends are only awarded after all evaluation materials have been returned, unlike the $50 mini-grants that are provided before you begin your sessions.

Incentives   

Mini-Grants

$50 mini-grants are available to get your groups started.  The mini-grant can be used to purchase pencils, stress balls and most importantly, food!  We have heard many times, “If you feed them, they will come!”  Applying for the mini-grant is easy click HERE. 

N-O-T Stipends

Another positive incentive are the $250 stipends, which are available for facilitators after all evaluation materials have been returned to ALAWV.

Student Journals

Program expenses are kept to a minimum since we provide all required handouts for students in this “journal.” Blank pages are provided for the students to write on.

 ATS Stipends

Thanks to a generous grant from the Department of Education Office Of Healthy schools we now have $100 stipends available for facilitators who use the ATS program in their schools.

You can find all these resources and more at our web site click here à N-O-T

Free Technical Assistance! Points of contacts are:

Tony Richards, Program Manager

Not On Tobacco (N-O-T)

American Lung Association of West Virginia

415 Dickinson Street, PO Box 3980

Charleston, WV 25339-3980

(304) 342-6600; 1-800-LUNG-USA

tony@alawv.org / www.alawv.org

Regional Tobacco Prevention Specialist

The RESA Tobacco Prevention Program serves as the regional liaison with the school districts to provide training, technical assistance, and staff development to teachers and staff in the areas of tobacco prevention, education and cessation. Available programs include Life Skills Training, Raze/TATU (Teens Against Tobacco) N-O-T (Not On Tobacco-a research-based cessation program for teens), related youth programs which include tobacco prevention initiatives, tobacco policy considerations and community tobacco prevention coalitions and groups. The Tobacco Prevention Specialist can assist with developing alternatives to suspension programs, youth empowerment and prevention activities. The primary focus is to provide training and technical assistance on any implementation activities as well as provide assistance to County Safe and Drug Free Schools Coordinators.