American Lung Association of Colorado

Not On Tobacco (N-O-T) is the ALA’s voluntary, smoking cessation program for high school students. Over the ten-week program, participants learn to identify their reasons for smoking, healthy alternatives to tobacco use, and people who will support them in their efforts to quit.

The best thing about N-O-T? It really works. N-O-T is a structured approach to smoking cessation based on the social cognitive theory. Studies of 12,000 teens participating in the N-O-T program nationally found that approximately 90 percent of the teens enrolled in the N-O-T program either quit smoking or cut back.

N-O-T is recognized by several federal agencies:

The American Lung Association of Colorado trains school counselors, nurses, teachers and others to implement N-O-T at their high schools or youth-based organizations. We also provide ongoing support to facilitators and FUNDING to schools for course curriculum and materials, student incentives, and to attend the annual summit meeting.

Follow the links below for more information.

See N-O-T videos online!

30-second youth commercial
Windows Media | QuickTime | RealPlayer
Order youth DVD (free for N-O-T facilitators)

Video for school faculty (clip)
Windows Media | QuickTime | RealPlayer
Order faculty DVD (free for N-O-T facilitators)

   APPLY ONLINE
Apply for funding to offer the N-O-T program at your high school for the 2008-09 school year. Funding is available through March 2009.

   How effective is N-O-T?
Full disclosure of Colorado's stats

2006-2007 brief report (PDF)

2005-2006 brief report (PDF)

   Program locations
Colorado high schools currently offering the N-O-T program, listed by county (Word DOC)

   Youth cessation links
A wealth of online resources to help stop teen smoking, including the 'Own Your C' campaign.

For N-O-T facilitators:

   2008-2009 Implementation Report
   2007-2008 Final Report

   Upcoming N-O-T facilitator training/
Register for N-O-T Facilitator Summit

   N-O-T stuff
Order N-O-T incentives and videos online, download evaluation forms, posters, and more

N-O-T Success

“The success stories that are coming in now that most of the students have QUIT smoking are incredible. The girls' group made and took Valentines to the local rest home today as part of the session seven, give back to the community. It was wonderful and they interacted so well with the residents. It also gave them some thinking on the future and how they want to end up (old and sick from smoking or healthier from quitting). If anyone needed a little extra motivation, the rest home did it. Also, the boys' group just won an exercise contest that we had set up between the two groups. We used thermometers with number of minutes exercised and the group to get to the top first won. Many of the boys have paired up and are lifting weights together. For everyday they are smoke free I am giving them a pass to the rec. center to work out/swim/play basketball, etc. Your money is being put to great use and they are forming some awesome habits. Have a great day and thanks for a great program.”

-NOT Facilitator