Sharon Zack, MS¹, Jennifer Weil, MA¹, Susanna Nemes, PhD², Jeffrey A. Hoffman, PhD¹, Kelly Munly, MS¹, and Lauren Hess, BA². (1) Danya International Inc, 8737 Colesville Road, Suite 1200, Silver Spring, MD 20910, 301-565-2142, szack@danya.com, (2) Danya International, Inc., 8737 Colesville Road, Suite 1200, Silver Spring, MD 20910

Smoking continues to kill more people in the United States than AIDS, car accidents, alcohol, homicides, illegal drugs, suicides, and fires combined accounting for more than 440,000 deaths annually. Despite National efforts to prevent youth tobacco use, it is estimated that more than 2,000 adolescents become established smokers (defined as reaching a lifetime level of 100 cigarettes) on a given day. Even though current research indicates that initiation of smoking among youth has declined over the past few years, prevalence of smoking still remains unacceptable high. In response to the Nation’s need for the development of efficacious youth cessation programs, Danya International, Inc., with funding from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) developed a multifaceted smoking-cessation program called Adolescent Smoking Cessation Escaping Nicotine & Tobacco (ASCENT). Based on the transtheoretical model of “Stages of Change”, ASCENT provides youth (between the ages of 14 and 18) with cognitive behavioral strategies to assist them in their efforts to quit smoking. The intervention package includes a six-session curriculum, teen workbooks, motivational video entitled The Last Drag, a facilitator’s video, parent support guides, pocket diaries, completion certificates, and other materials. Data from an outcome and a process evaluation were collected to examine the effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of the program. Student smokers (n=144) from nine Maryland High Schools participated in these studies. Outcome measures evaluated Smoking status, Stage of Change, Addiction, and Withdrawal. Project development, follow-up data results including gender differences and lessons learned will be presented to further understand implementation of effective adolescent tobacco cessation programs in school settings.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe components of the ASCENT adolescent tobacco cessation program. Identify valuable lessons learned for conducting the program in a high school setting.

Keywords: Smoking Cessation, Youth

Related Web page: www.teenquit.com

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.