24/7 Offers Tools for Protection From Tobacco Targeting



Continue honoring and empowering Black students and staff members beyond February…


It is 24/7’s wish to help all school campuses be safer and more supportive of our students and faculty members of color, and we believe tobacco prevention and control is a crucial area to make a lasting difference. 

Did you know that “African Americans bear the greatest burden from tobacco related disease?” This article explores the history of how the tobacco industry has specifically targeted Black communities to obtain a loyal customer base and how it has led to tens of thousands of preventable, tobacco-related deaths annually. 

We know that most adults who are addicted to tobacco started using products before they were 18 years old. That means middle school and high school are crucial seasons to educate and prevent youth from ever using nicotine and tobacco in the first place.

Black History Month may be coming to an end, but 24/7 will continue to proactively support the Black community in schools through tobacco control with the following tools and systems:

100% Tobacco-Free Policy Language – The biggest way we can protect your community from nicotine and tobacco addiction is by helping your district adopt a policy with the highest standards. 24/7’s policy includes important details, such as NO TOBACCO ADVERTISING and NO TOBACCO USE, POSSESSION OR DISTRIBUTION ON ANY CAMPUS PROPERTY OR SCHOOL-SPONSORED EVENT, which closes any potential loopholes.

Empowering Black Student Advocates – Our high school program, Evolvement, includes many students of color who take an active role in the policy promotion and implementation process. These youth leaders meet with principals, school boards and even state legislators to discuss youth nicotine addiction and share their ideas for how to protect their peers from tobacco.

Tools for Adult Policy Compliance – Students are much more likely to comply with the policy if they witness staff and visitors following the rules as well. 24/7 offers policy training for faculty and communication tools for visitors to help spread awareness of the policy and ensure your students are guarded from tobacco on campus 24/7. 

Supportive and Progressive Discipline Protocols – 24/7 requires non-punitive disciplinary options for students, such as counseling, parent/student/teacher conferences, community service, etc. before turning to suspension or expulsion. Our toolkit provides recommended procedures for each policy violation as well as counseling resources that help identify the reason why students are turning to nicotine in the first place.

Cessation Resources – It’s not enough to take away toxic products from students or staff that violate the tobacco policy. 24/7 also requires schools to offer cessation resource referrals to help youth and adults receive the help they need to overcome tobacco addiction.

Respect for Cultural Differences – From the article above, it is clear that the tobacco industry has had a long relationship with the Black community for a variety of reasons. 24/7 understands that tobacco education is crucial to helping students grasp the dangers that prolonged nicotine and tobacco use can have on the body, which is why student tobacco education is one of our recommended options for a stronger policy.

24/7 advocates for and offers assistance with all of these measures in our toolkit, which is available for FREE to anyone interested in making their school campus a safer and healthier place to learn and grow.

Download the 24/7 Toolkit to get started making your school 100% tobacco-free

Be well,
The 24/7 New Mexico Team

No comments yet

The comments are closed.