1 Why go tobacco free
2 Putting your policy to work
3 Teaching Tobacco Prevention 4 Fact sheets
Podcast: 30 minute conference call featuring University School recorded 5/18 at 10 AM
Register for June 16th meeting
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Other resources
Map of Ohio
tobacco free school districts
Oregon ALA
Kentucky school board
Funded by Ohio Department of Health Office: Healthy Ohio Program: Tobacco
Use Prevention and Cessation Program
Successful Tobacco Policy Change June 16,2009 12 Noon til 1PM 3 Summit Park Independence Ohio
Tobacco Policy change helps lower tobacco use which cost $3,500 more per employee and over 400,000 premature deaths each year. Many employers and school systems do not yet have a 100% Tobacco free policy. Less than half of Cuyahoga County public school systems have policies prohibiting the use of all tobacco products on school property and all school events including sporting events. At this meeting we will hear from systems and employers who have or are making the change to a 100% Tobacco free policy.
Register for June 16th meeting
click here to register
What should school personnel know about tobacco policies?
Why should school districts care?
Tobacco remains the number one cause of preventable death in Ohio. Most adult smokers began smoking in their teens. The tobacco industry continues to spend billions of dollars on marketing its products, and we have an uphill battle to prevent youth from starting. A tobacco-free school encourages the promotion of a safe, healthy and positive school climate and culture, and consequently supports student learning.It is important for each school district to have a 100 percent tobacco-free school campus policy that prohibits
all tobacco use on school property (indoors and outdoors); at all kindergarten through grade 12 school functions by students, faculty, staff and visitors.Having such a policy reinforces educational messages about tobacco, promotes positive role models, and plays a big part in reducing student and staff tobacco use. In fact, a recent study revealed that 13 year-old girls were five times more likely to become daily smokers if their schools allowed staff to smoke outside the school.
1Don’t we already have a tobacco policy?
Although nearly all Ohio public school districts have policies banning indoor smoking, a majority do not have policies prohibiting the use of all tobacco products extending to outdoors, sporting events and school-sponsored activities. Currently, 130 Ohio school districts have adopted 100 percent tobacco-free school campus policies. There is strong public support for such policies: in 2006, an overwhelming majority (89 percent) of Ohioans agreed that adults should not be permitted to use tobacco on school grounds or at any school events.21
Barnett, T.A., Gauvin, L., Lambert., M., O;Loughlin, J., Paradis., G., and McGrath, J.J. (2007) The Influence of School Smoking Policies on Student Tobacco Use, Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine, 161 (9), 842-848.2
Borawski, E.A., Trapl, E.S, Olds, R.S., Subhas., N. (2006). Ohio Adult Tobacco Report: 2006 Adult Tobacco Survey, Ohio Tobacco Research and Evaluation Center at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, www.otrec.org.
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