Are Your Schools Tobacco-Free?

The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) has published a new report, Policies to Prevent Tobacco Use, calling on comprehensive tobacco bans in all schools, and noting that only five states—Arkansas, Delaware, Massachusetts, Mississippi, and Oregon—currently have a comprehensive tobacco-free schools policy.

The report urges state boards of education to make schools “tobacco-free environments” by strictly prohibiting the use of tobacco in any form by anyone – students, staff, and visitors – in school, on school grounds, and at all school-related activities.  Schools are also being urged to prohibit all tobacco-related or tobacco-branded promotional items, such as clothing or book covers.

Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28 percent of high school seniors and 12 percent of middle school students are current smokers.  One-third of all smokers have their first cigarette by age 14.  Tobacco use can also affect students’ attendance and academic performance in school.

The report is the latest installment of NASBE’s comprehensive and nationally-acclaimed Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn: A School Health Policy Guide. The full guide or just the tobacco chapter can be purchased by calling (800) 220-5183 or via the Internet at http://www.nasbe.org/.

Recommendations in the report include model tobacco-use prevention policies, which are also available at www.nasbe.org/HealthySchools/States/State_Policy.asp.

Source: State Education Leaders Call for Tobacco Ban in All Schools, News Release, National Association of State Boards of Education, October 3, 2007.