New Study Says Smoking Prevention Programs for Students Are Not Working [03/22-4]

Excerpts from: Prevention: When the Smoke Doesn't Clear

By NICHOLAS BAKALAR The New York Times [03/22/05]


Schools around the country offer a wide variety of programs to keep students from smoking, but a new study suggests that they all have one thing in common: they don't work .

A review of school programs that have been tested with randomized controlled trials shows no evidence of long-term effectiveness in any of them.

The research, which was published in the March issue of The Journal of Adolescent Health, notes that the programs will probably continue in most schools because Congress has required schools receiving federal money under Title IV to provide antismoking and drug abuse programs.

According to an editorial accompanying the paper, California spent a total of $406 million on school antismoking programs from 1989 to 2003, almost one-third of its overall expenditures to discourage use of tobacco.

Teenage smoking is declining, but the research suggests that the programs cannot take the credit.

The study's lead author, Dr. Sarah Wiehe, assistant professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine, cites money as the main explanation. "It has been shown over and over that kids are especially sensitive to tax increases," Dr. Wiehe said.

What should schools do? "It may be that any program conducted in schools induces a certain amount of contempt in students," Dr. Wiehe said. Nevertheless she suggested that schools borrow from the antismoking advertising campaigns that have been shown to be effective.

"Schools could focus more on media literacy," she said, "showing how the tobacco industry targets prospective clients, and how to be more aware of their propaganda."


A waste of tax payer dollars if its not working

Although the MSA funded group in Indiana has been successful in passing smoking bans throughout the state they have had little or no effect on student smoking which remains the same as adult smoking in the state.

As to advertising - I have not seen an ad for tobacco for years. Are the tobacco companies advertising in text books? I have received ads in the mail after responding to surveys that I smoke, but they are obviously targeted to adult smokers. As to their effectiveness, I still pitch them rather than support any company involved in the MSA.

The schools are full of propaganda and just as the students are informed as to how to interpret the ads by the tobacco companies this education is obviously being applied to this propaganda, after all what's the difference between propaganda and advertising?

So Jemeyes, are you advocating that we do nothing about youth smoking?

And by the way, most everything I've heard recently has pointed to youth smoking being on the decline. I'm sure some of it has to do with the higher price on tabacco compared to just 5 years ago. But to say it's a waste of money to try and curb youth smoking is rediculous. Thats like going out and saying we should tell folks not to drink and drive.

And no amount of ads or education will totally get rid of youth smoking. So if their efforts helped to keep just 1,000 kids from picking up the habit a year, thats well worth the money spent.

Truism:

It's "tobacco".

The question is -- what is education? Harping on the dangers of smoking or how hard it is to quit later probably will not work with teenagers.

It hasn't worked with drugs, alcohol or sex so there's no real reason to think it will work with tobacco usage.

One needs to craft an educational program that will allow teens to make an informed, rational decision. Do I know how to do it? No, I don't.

But I would hope that there are people out there who do know and who can get better at this.

The statement that "if their efforts helped to keep just 1,000 kids from picking up the habit a year" is money worth spent depends on what the per capita cost is. If the programs aren't working than perhaps the money would be better spent developing more effective programs.

I am not advocating that we do nothing nor do I have the answer -- I'm neither a coundelor nor an educator. I am merely suggesting that we get better at it.

well there is that old saying "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink"

no matter how force full the anti campine is to prevent tobacco usage among teens and young adults they are going to smoke or not smoke its their choice. and with the amount of anti propaganda thats being force fed to the children most don't beleive all the info..


my kids all went through the drug prevention programs and probably the anti-tobacco programs, safe sex programs do you think any of these kids abstain ... some do and some don't

I went thru grade school. high school, and my brief college careers before I took up smoking at the age of 21. It turned out I would have benefitted greatly from it had I taken it up sooner.

I avoided the drug culture in the 60's and 70's because I was taking prescribed drugs and was worried about interreactions. I never did take up a drug habit.

I drank throughout high school and college and gave it up when I started having adverse reactions from it in my late 20's.

These were my choices, not anyone else's. I was not encouraged or discouraged by those around me or some other outside source. I would hope that people today are better informed than I was, but are still able to make their own choices in life.

I remain an committed smoker at the age of 59.

When my 2 nieces were in early adolescence (they are now both in their 20s) they were pretty outspoken with their anti-smoking pronouncements. We had a reasonable truce about it....I didn't smoke around them and they didn't spew the nonsense at me.

The youngest was the more rabid of the 2 and so I was quite surprised when she approached me one afternoon when she was a HS senior to ask me if I could provide her with any information to counter what she knew to be blatant lies being told in the anti-smoking "class."

She's still not crazy about it, but no longer believes all the "truth" campaign stuff that was shoved down their throats in school.

I was even more suprised when I found out her older sister had taken up smoking while working on her masters degree. But no one can blame my influence, as she had moved across the country and I rarely saw her at that period of time.

I was born in 1971, the same year that cigarette commercials were banned. I remember anti-smoking PSAs on TV when I was a kid and harassing my aunt about her smoking. Never thought I would start, but somehow when I was a senior in high school on a trip to France, I did. I'm about to turn 35 and have no desire to quit - if anything, the more anti propaganda I hear, the deeper my resolve to keep it up.

I was born in 58, had lots of trama in my young life,,mom was forced out by an alcholic father who would spend most of his time in the bars and spending his earnings.. leaving 4 kids to fend for them selves I took up smoking at age 9 .i couldn't deal with the alcholic and trying to protect my younger sibs and having and older sister that would take the strap after me for not towing the mark when dad left her in charge,, to this day she still trys to control me. smoking releaves my stress and soothes my nerves.... and beleive it or not .. when I am sitting out on my patio drink my coffee and having a smoke I am able to think and solve any probs I am expering at the moment.. my younger brother and I are the only ones of four that took up smoking

I just turned 38 last week and I started smoking in the mid-80s, when teen smoking was suppose to be low. Growing up my siblings and I would harrass my parents about their smoking. We would cough and gag if they smoked in the car and would throw my mother's cigarettes away (we didn't dare mess with my father, however). Of the three kids I was the most anti and swore I'd never smoke, but as I got older I became more curious and tried it and found I liked smoking...still do and have no plans to quit. None of my siblings smoke and my mother has since quit. My father still smokes, is 70, and healthy.

I think all the anti smoking propaganda kids are exposed to only make them want to try smoking. Some kids will try smoking, some will become social smokers, and others will become regular smokers. This is natural.

Tim B

quote:

Originally posted by Tim B:

I think all the anti smoking propaganda kids are exposed to only make them want to try smoking. Some kids will try smoking, some will become social smokers, and others will become regular smokers. This is natural.

Tim B

Particularly when that propaganda includes such crapola about how tobacco is worse than things like crack and heroin.........the blatant lies of the antis is dong far more damage to their credibility than anything any of us could ever say.

Anti smoking campaigns have no credibility and is a direct reflection on the entire medical community. How can anyone believe any opinion offered to a patient by his doctor? Everything is currently related to an individuals personal choices. If a person follows the puritan lifestyle then why do they ever get sick? We all sin, therefore we all get sick.

Billy Graham is alive today because he is the only one amongst us who has not sinned. But then why do other sinners live long successful lives?

It becomes easily apparent that the medical community has no clue?