CVHDJamestown  (CSi- CVHD)  As kids headed back to school across North Dakota, research shows many of them may learn much more than what’s in their textbooks. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, lifetime smoking habits almost always begin before graduating high school. Since children spend almost a third of their waking hours in school, many of the influences that lead to smoking occur in this environment. North Dakota’s tobacco prevention program has succeeded in raising the number of the state’s schools adopting comprehensive tobacco-free policies from 60 to 153, according to the North Dakota Center for Tobacco Prevention and Control Policy, (the Center). By those numbers, however, about a third of North Dakota schools will still go without critical intervention that has been proven to help reduce children’s tobacco use. The result will cost this state and this country dollars and lives.

 

Jeanne Prom, Executive Director of the Center  says “North Dakota’s tobacco-free school policies are saving lives, “But underage tobacco use is still a major problem. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug, and impacts brain development in youth. If youth tobacco use continues at this rate, 14,000 North Dakota kids under 18 who are alive today will eventually die from tobacco-related causes. We need everyone’s support to ensure every school in North Dakota is tobacco free.”

 

Tobacco-free schools encourage tobacco prevention by prohibiting the use of these products and reducing their influence on students by sending a message that tobacco is not socially acceptable.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorses comprehensive policies, like the ND Center’s Tobacco Free School Policy, especially knowing sixth and seventh grades are peak years for kids first trying to smoke.

Julie Hoeckle, Tobacco prevention outreach coordinator with Central Valley Health District, says, “Comprehensive tobacco-free policies in North Dakota schools are reducing the risk of addiction in  young people.  We thank our school boards for protecting our children and encouraging youth to be tobacco free.”

Central Valley Health District works with LaMoure, Logan, McIntosh, and Stutsman counties through the Central Valley Tobacco Prevention Partnership. The schools in the partnership area with a model comprehensive tobacco free school policy are Edgeley and Willowbank Colony Schools, Gackle-Streeter School, Jamestown Public Schools, Medina School, Napoleon School, Pingree-Buchanan Schools, Wishek School, and Zeeland School.

To learn more about tobacco-free schools and preventing tobacco use, contact Central Valley Health District at 701-252-8130. Visit breathend.com to see the complete list of North Dakota’s tobacco-free schools.