Evidence-Based Tobacco Use Prevention Programs in Schools.

Every aspect of the Positive Action program discourages tobacco use by students. The program promotes critical thinking, decision making, and problem-solving. These intellectual positive actions, paired with the physical positive actions of taking care of the body by watching what goes into it, arm students with a quick defense against peer pressure to smoke.

These positive lessons are taught daily to immerse students in a positive learning climate and promote positive self-concepts. When students possess strong and healthy self-concepts, they are motivated to choose positive lifestyles and are better able to resist a multitude of negative influences, including negative peer influence and tobacco use.

The Drug Abuse Kits directly address the issue of substance use. These supplements enhance the main curriculum Kits with a focus on the consequences of tobacco and alcohol use, along with other drugs.

Students learn the dire effects that any drugs, including tobacco, can have on their physical, intellectual, social, and emotional well-being.

By providing a positive climate as well as direct drug education, Positive Action strikes at the root of many negative enticements. Not only are they able to resist the pressure to smoke now, but students are also equipped with life-skills that will enable them to make positive decisions in the future.

The curriculum teaches students a positive system for thinking, behaving, and feeling so they can continue to live healthy, whole, tobacco-free lives long after the lessons are over.

Educators can teach with confidence, since researchers have found that Positive Action reduces the use of tobacco, as well as substance use in general, including alcohol and other drugs. The analysis from two randomized trials has been featured in three peer-reviewed journal articles.