Tobacco Prevention Activities
As you develop or strengthen your tobacco-free policy, there are many activities that can be part of a comprehensive approach to tobacco use prevention. These activities described in this section have been proven to impact long-term tobacco control goals.
When activities like these are implemented consistently and correctly, they can really make a difference. Know that the work you are doing is helping to achieve real and lasting change in your community’s health.
Use these activities as a guide and encourage students to personalize them. Some are classroom-based and some can be done with the broader community. Every activity will help raise awareness and give both youth and adults a way to positively channel their outrage at what the tobacco industry is doing to addict and kill tens of thousands of Americans every year.
Planning your activity
There are several things to consider as you start planning for your activity or event. As you sit down with your group, answer these questions and you’ll be well on your way to being event planning pros.
What issue/cause are you tackling?
- Tobacco-free schools
- Tobacco industry marketing
- Hollywood & influencer impact on tobacco use
Why are you tackling this issue? How do you know it is an issue?
- Tobacco use is a problem at your school.
- You want teens in your community to know that the tobacco industry is targeting them ($24.2 million is spent each year in South Dakota alone).
- You want to spread awareness Hollywood and influencer relationships with the tobacco industry.
What do you want to accomplish? What is your ultimate goal?
- Increase awareness among your peers.
- Recruit more members to your group.
- Implement a tobacco-free campus policy for your school or school district.
- Strengthen an existing tobacco-free policy.
- Offer resources to help youth tobacco users quit.
What are you going to do?
See what other youth are doing across the state and in other parts of the country.
Tobacco Prevention Activities
- Find out if there are local people or groups who would be willing to get involved in your efforts. Your local tobacco prevention coalition, school health council, American Cancer
- Society chapter, and concerned parents can help spread your message.
Do you think your group can realistically pull it off ? If not, modify your plan to ensure success. - Be aware that different actions and messages influence different audiences.
Help stop nicotine addiction in its tracks.
The SD QuitLine helps users age 13 and older quit using tobacco or e-cigarettes.
Encourage teens and young adults to enroll in our coaching program or request a Kickstart Kit. No matter which option they choose, they’ll be provided with confidential, consistent, and nonjudgmental support to kick the habit. The QuitLine’s Quit Coaches are supportive advocates trained to help people plan and stick to a quit path.
If you are unable to download files or access tools on this website, it may be due to your facility’s firewall protection. Ask your IT administrator to whitelist BeFreeSD.com so you have access to this important anti-tobacco information. For further questions, please reach out to the SD Tobacco Control Program.