Reduce and prevent substance misuse across the region
Percent of Adolescents in Grades 9-12 who have Ever Smoked a Cigarette-Northwest Region
Current Value
19.6%
Definition
Story Behind the Curve
Factors that lead to decreased youth tobacco use include decreased accessed to tobacco, implementation of prevention strategies, environments that support tobacco-free norms, social media campaigns, and school-based prevention efforts.
Partners
Local Community Coalitions
Local Schools
Municipalities
Local businesses
Why Is This Important?
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.1
What Works
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs gives three specific recommendations for preventing tobacco use among youth: increase tobacco excise taxes and parity among products, packaging, displays, age of purchase and comprehensive indoor and outdoor air restrictions, conduct mass media education campaigns and restrict minors’ access to tobacco products. These recommendations contain strategies that tobacco programs in the Northwest Region already performs. One of these strategies is aligning the youth initiation campaign efforts between community coalitions and OVX and providing training tailored for youth and the communities in which they live. The Program also partners with the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program to support tobacco cessation via its network of local youth service providers. 1
Region-specific prevention practices can also be found in "Planning for Prevention-A Guide to Community Health Initiatives" through Northwest Regional Planning Commission.
References
1. Vermont Department of Health