Grades 5-8

The theory underlying Project TNT is that young people will be best able to resist using tobacco products if they:

1. Are aware of misleading social information that facilitates tobacco use (e.g. advertising, inflating prevalence estimates)
2. Have skills that counteract the social pressures to achieve approval by using tobacco.
3. Appreciate the physical consequences that tobacco use may have on their own lives (e.g., the beginnings of addiction).

Project TNT is designed to counteract different causes of tobacco use simultaneously because the behavior is determined by multiple causes. This comprehensive approach is well suited to a wide variety of youth who may differ in risk factors that influence their tobacco use.

Length

This program includes eight core lessons and two boosters lessons.

Each class ranges between 40 to 50 minutes.

Objectives

At the completion of the program, students will be able to:

• describe the course of tobacco addiction and disease, the consequences of using tobacco, and the prevalence of tobacco use among peers;
• demonstrate effective communication, refusal, and cognitive coping skills;
• identify how the media and advertisers influence teens to use tobacco products;
• identify methods for building their own self-esteem; and
• describe strategies for advocating no tobacco use.

Strategy Implementation

The implementation teacher's manual provides step-by-step instructions for completing each of the 8 core lessons and two booster lessons, together with introductory and background material. Two videos are also included to support the curriculum. The first, " Stand Up For Yourself", emphasizes assertive and refusal skills and is produced specifically and produced by Churchill Media in both English and Spanish specifically to support Session Seven of the curriculum. The second, " Tobacco Use Social Images", is designed to combat tobacco use-specific social images to support Session Eight of the curriculum.

Behavioral Findings

• Students in Project TNT reduced initiation of cigarettes by approximately 26% over the control group, when one-year and two-year follow-up outcomes were averaged together.
• Students in Project TNT reduced initiation of smokeless tobacco use by approximately 30%.
• Weekly or more frequent cigarette smoking by students in the Project TNT group was reduced by approximately 60%

The theory underlying Project TNT is that young people will be best able to resist using tobacco products if they:

Are aware of misleading social information that facilitates tobacco use (e.g. advertising, inflating prevalence estimates).

Have skills that counteract the social pressures to achieve approval by using tobacco;

Appreciate the physical consequences that tobacco use may have on their own lives (e.g., the beginnings of addiction).

Lessons

1: Effective Listening & Tobacco Information

2: The Course & Consequences of Tobacco Use

3: Self-Esteem

4: Being True to Yourself & Changing Negative Thoughts

5: Effective Communication

6: Assertiveness and Refusal Skills

7: Adverting Images

8: Social Activism:  Advocating for No Tobacco Use

Shalom Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.