The Tobacco Prevention Toolkit is a theory-based and evidence-informed educational resource created by educators and researchers aimed at preventing middle and high school students’ use of tobacco and nicotine products. It is an educational resource that can be adapted to fit the individual needs of educators and students in all types of settings, including elementary, middle and high schools; community-based organizations; and health-related agencies.

Goals of the Toolkit

1. For students to understand basic information about tobacco products, including e-cigarettes/vape pens, and the harm they cause

2. For students to gain awareness of strategies manufacturers of tobacco, including e-cigarettes/vape pens, employ to increase use among adolescents through deceptive and creative marketing strategies

3. For students to gain skills to refuse experimentation and use of tobacco

4. For schoolteachers and administrators to be able to develop and set new school policies

Link for Students completing the course

INDEPTH is taught by any trained adult in four, 50-minutes sessions. Each session addresses a different tobacco-related issue and can be facilitated either one-on-one or in a group setting. The goal of every program is to educate students about nicotine dependence and cravings and ultimately guide them through the process of identifying their own reasons for chewing, smoking or vaping tobacco products.

Any adult can complete the online INDEPTH training, and facilitators receive a step-by-step guide that can be used to plan and implement the INDEPTH program at their school or community-based organization.

• Session 1 Getting the Facts: Breaks down the program for participants

• Session 2 Nicotine Dependence: Explains the harmful effects of nicotine and tobacco products

• Session 3 Alternatives: Helps teens understand their urges and identify healthy alternatives to replace tobacco use.

• Session 4 Past, Present, Future: Talks about next steps and how to avoid future tobacco-related problems

Vaping: Know the truth is a new national youth vaping prevention curriculum created with Truth Initiative, in collaboration with Kaiser Permanente and the American Heart Association, to educate students about the health dangers of e-cigarette use. This free digital learning experience is being developed as part of Truth Initiative’s nationally recognized truth campaign. In addition to encouraging students to live vape-free lives, this self-led interactive-curriculum offers resources to help young people who are currently using e-cigarettes to quit through truth’s first-of-its-kind text message youth quit vaping program called This is Quitting already helping over 200,000 youth and young adults on their journeys to quit.

After completing this online experience, students will be able to…

• Understand that e-cigarettes can deliver as much or more nicotine than cigarettes and that regardless of delivery mechanism, nicotine is addictive.

• State the health risks associated with using e-cigarettes due to their chemical ingredients and delivery mechanism.

• Describe the strategies used by e-cigarette manufacturers to appeal to their current and prospective users.

• Understand that you are empowered to make healthy and informed choices, to help others make those choices.

• Demonstrate how to seek out, recommend, and utilize the support services and resources that are available in school, local community, or nationally, to help you or someone else quit using.

• Access a free first-of-its-kind text message quit vaping program called This is Quitting if they are a current e-cigarette user looking to quit.