Teen Smoking Cessation Program Success Press Release

N-O-T Continues to be Success

For nearly 100 years, the American Lung Association in Colorado (ALAC) has been dedicated to preventing lung disease and promoting lung health for all Coloradans. This legacy lives on through the Not On Tobacco (N-O-T) program, which is Colorado’s only teen smoking cessation program . N-O-T is a research-based, youth development program designed to address critical issues that today’s youth are faced with, such as addiction, stress, and peer pressure.

The need for a youth smoking cessation program is supported by current tobacco use statistics, indicating that 25% of all Colorado high school teens and 38% of Hispanic teens are currently smokers. If these trends continue, 86,000 Colorado youth will die prematurely from a smoking related illness. Statistics indicate that one of out three Coloradoans who starts smoking as a teenager will die from it. Additionally, of the high school teens who smoke, 60.6% indicate that they would like to quit.

The N-O-T program is voluntary and gender-sensitive, which allows participants to more comfortably discuss issues with one another. The N-O-T program is designed for teens to:

Quit smoking
Reduce the number of cigarettes smoked (for those that cannot quit)
Promote healthy lifestyle behaviors (e.g., physical activity and proper nutrition)
Improve life skills, in the areas of stress management, decision-making, coping, and communication skills.

ALAC has been implementing and evaluating the N-O-T program in Colorado since 2001. Over the past four school years, approximately 2,700 teens have participated in the program and over 300 facilitators have been trained by ALAC staff to implement the program. Statistical information collected from the 2004-05 Not On Tobacco (N-O-T) program participants reveal some alarming health trends for Colorado youth - on average, over 20% of N-O-T participants reported smoking at least a pack of cigarettes a day. 72% of N-O-T participants have previously tried—unsuccessfully—to quit smoking. The N-O-T program works. During the 2005-2006 school year, 29% of the teens that completed the N-O-T program quit smoking completely by the end of the program, while 90% had either quit or reduced their consumption. Because of this program, Colorado teens are improving their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding lung health, ultimately helping reduce Colorado’s healthcare costs, both in the short and long-term. Last year, N-O-T was implemented at 91 schools across the state, serving urban, suburban, and rural locales reaching 29 counties and more than 1,100 students. This year, N-O-T will be implemented at even more schools with this year’s program goal to provide N-O-T at 115 sites across the state. The American Lung Association in Colorado is extremely proud of the successes celebrated by the N-O-T program and is continually seeking community support and funding opportunities to ensure that N-O-T exceeds it goals and continues providing teens with the tools to quit smoking for years to come.

For more information about the N-O-T program or to discuss supporting ALAC, please contact Eliza Lanman at (303) 847-0272 or via e-mail at elanman@lungcolorado.org.