ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGN

Article written by Ken Brooks, Williamson County Schools Health/Wellness Specialist.

Forty-five million Americans currently smoke.  Eighty percent of those who smoke started when they were in their teens.  Ninety percent started before the age of 21.  Seventy-five percent of those who began as teens and thought they would quit by the time they were 25 have not. 

These are telling statistics.  It shows that young people are making the smoking decision before they are truly ready to make such an important decision.  Why do so few begin the habit of smoking after the age of 21?  Simple, these people are mature enough to make the best decision based on the facts of smoking and not youthful emotional decisions in such areas as peer pressure or an attempt to express youthful independence.  We must do all that we can to combat the problem of our youth starting a tobacco habit in the first place.    

In order to aid in our efforts, WCS has received a grant in the amount of $15,789.  Dianne O’Neil, Safe and Drug Free coordinator for Williamson County Schools, proposed an idea that was approved by the local health council.  The primary target population is sixth grade students with selected middle and high school student leaders as the secondary targeted population. 

To reach this prevention goal, student leaders from STARS have been trained in the Center for Disease Control (CDC) anti-tobacco media literacy curriculum "MediaSharp" and will deliver this information to sixth grade students as well as ninth grade students who are taking high school wellness.  The message will be reinforced during interscholastic and intramural sports activities in middle schools with banners, t-shirts and posters. Parents who attend the games will be asked to sign in and be eligible for door prizes once the program is in full swing.  Families will also be encouraged to participate in a Middle School Strengthening Families Program, a seven week video-based program that is free to participants, which has been proven to reduce substance use like smoking.

Look for more information in regards to this topic including the upcoming Health Show with Ken Brooks on WC-TV Comcast 3 and Charter 96.