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Table 1 Overview of the Tar Wars tobacco-free education program for youth

From: Longitudinal impact of a youth tobacco education program

Activity:

Objectives:

1. discussion of tobacco use prevalence [pre-activity]

review information on the percentage of 4th/5th grade students, 9th grade students and adults who are tobacco-free, recognize that most people are tobacco-free

2. short term effects of tobacco use

discussion of the short-term effects of tobacco use (smelling clothes, yellow teeth, bad breath, cough, burn holes); interactive demonstration of how tobacco smoke decreases lung volumes

3. costs of using tobacco

calculation of the cost of tobacco use, discussion of alternative uses of money

4. reasons why people begin to use tobacco

understand reasons why people begin to use tobacco, identify responses when these situations arise

5. tobacco and advertising

increase students' knowledge of the tobacco industry's marketing strategies (image distortions) and how tobacco advertising attempts to influence product purchase, students begin think critically about tobacco advertisements/misperceptions

6. design a poster emphasizing the positive effects of not using tobacco

reinforce the Tar Wars lesson, creatively demonstrate individualized integration of curriculum along with prior information on tobacco use prevention

  1. Note copies of the program curriculum are available at no charge at http://www.tarwars.org