 Thank you for your interest in the Northern California Indian Development Council, Inc. Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) program. The goal of the TUPE program is to introduce students to the dangers associated with the abuse of commercial tobacco in order to prevent future generations from becoming nicotine addicts. Our TUPE program introduces students to the tactics used by the big tobacco companies to entice and encourage young people to smoke. Numerous studies have shown that 90% of all smokers began their habit prior to reaching the age of 18. By educating our youth against such trickery, our goal is to keep them from falling victim to the number one preventable cause of death and long-term illness in Indian Country. Current studies reveal that California American Indian commercial tobacco abuse is significantly higher than the current CA adult smoking rate of 13% (female AI 34%, male AI 45%). The high incidence of commercial tobacco abuse equates to $14.65 billion dollars a year being spent in California due to health problems and lost productivity. This is not the legacy we wish to leave our children. By presenting this informative website, we at NCIDC hope to give the youth of California the tools to remain nicotine-free for life.
Did
you know that the NCIDC Tobacco Program is on Twitter? Sign
on today and follow our friend Ciggy Buttz as he educates followers
about the deceptive nature of the tobacco industry, gives advice
on how to quit and how to avoid a relapse, and occasionally shares
a joke. Please visit Ciggybuttz
on Twitter and join in the fun!
Funded By California Safe and Healthy Kids Program Office http://www.cde.ca.gov/healthykids/tupefactsheet.html
Tobacco Use Prevention Education Last updated: 5-13-09 |
