Prevention matters: Results from a three-year school-based tobacco prevention initiative in Colorado

Background: Previous research has demonstrated that comprehensive school-based tobacco prevention can produce significant reductions in youth and young adult smoking levels. The Rocky Mountain Center for Health Promotion and Education (RMC) implemented the K-12 Tobacco Prevention Initiative (K-12 TPI) through funding from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The program works directly with Colorado districts and schools to implement school-based tobacco prevention strategies that include: policy, classroom instruction, cessation, family engagement, and community linkages. Data was collected on schools and school districts at the beginning of the K-12 TPI project and yearly for 3 years to assess changes to tobacco prevention policies and programs in schools as a result of this project.

Results: Over the three-year funding period, districts saw improvements in the area of policy including: policies prohibiting tobacco use on and off school property by students, staff and visitors; consequences for tobacco violations that are both punitive and non-punitive; and policies to model a tobacco-free philosophy and environment. Improvements were seen for classroom instruction with more than 90% of K-12 TPI-funded elementary, middle and high schools using a tobacco prevention curriculum by the end of the 3 years. Additionally, cessation improved with the percentage of districts offering high school students school-based cessation programs increasing from 33% at the beginning of the project to 75% by the end of year three.

Conclusion: School-based tobacco prevention programs are a pivotal piece in a larger state-wide comprehensive effort to achieve reductions in tobacco use.