Creating policy for tobacco-free schools The Alberta Tobacco Reduction Strategy: Supporting tobacco-free schools MDAC Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission An Agency of the Government of Alberta I I I Table of Contents introduction 3 Ten steps toward an effective tobacco-free school policy 5 Appendix A - Sample policies 11 Appendix B - Resources 1 7 Acknowledgements 20 AADAC • 2003 The Alberta Tobacco Reduction Strategy: Supporting tobacco-free schools Introduction Smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness, disability, and death in Canada. Tobacco kills about 3,400 Albertans each year and hundreds of non-smoking Albertans die each year from diseases caused by exposure to second-hand smoke. In Alberta, 19% of youth aged 12 to 19 smoke. Since almost all tobacco users began use as teens, childhood and adolescence are critical times for prevention. In Alberta, 88% of current smokers say they started before they were 20 years old; 9% say they started between the ages of five and 11. The purpose of this booklet is to help schools and school districts create effective tobacco-free school policies. It is intended to be a reference only, and does not provide a policy template. Individual school boards are in the best position to formulate and draft their own policy. Use the steps provided in this booklet as a guide as you work through your poHcy development process. Alberta Tobacco Reduction Strategy In March 2002, the Alberta government launched the Alberta Tobacco Reduction Strategy, giving the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC) the mandate to lead and coordinate tobacco reduction on behalf of the provincial government. The strategy takes a comprehensive approach to tobacco reduction, including increased taxation, youth-focused prevention and education programs, public information campaigns, and help for smokers who want to quit. Legislation is also part of a comprehensive strategy. The Prevention of Youth Tobacco Use Act, which came into effect April 1, 2003, prohibits the possession and use of tobacco by minors. This legislation is consistent with the Alberta Tobacco Reduction Strategy goal of reducing tobacco use in Alberta and preventing youth from starting to smoke. AADAC can help A comprehensive tobacco reduction strategy involves many partners, including all levels of government, regional health authorities, community groups, non-governmental organizations, school authorities, and schools. AADAC is here to help its partners by proving school- based programs like Teaming Up for Tobacco-Free Kids, Building Leaders for Action in Schools Today (BLAST) and Kick the Nic, as well as information resources, and booklets such as this. AADAC s community tobacco reduction counsellors can also support schools in Creating policy for tobacco-free schools their efforts to be tobacco-free. For more information, contact your local AADAC office. AADACs Smokers Help Line (1-866-33AADAC) is available for teachers and other staff who want to quit smoking in support of tobacco-free schools. The role of school authorities and schools School authorities and schools can play a critical role in preventing children and youth from using tobacco. They also have an important role to play in helping and encouraging students who already use tobacco to quit, and creating a healthy, supportive tobacco-free environment. Clear and consistent policies help students to be tobacco-free. Effective tobacco policies prohibit tobacco use on school property. They also include prevention and education programs, and provide access to cessation resources and other positive alternatives rather than relying on punitive measures for enforcement. The creation of tobacco-free schools enhances the physical, mental and social health of students and staff. Tobacco-free school pohcies do more than prevent individual use of tobacco; they reduce exposure to second-hand smoke, decrease damage to school property, and make it easier to maintain school facilities. How AADAC works with schools AADACs tobacco reduction resources for youth are part of AADAC s overall range of services for youth. AADACs School Strategy is designed to provide Alberta teachers and students with curriculum- aligned resources that focus on building healthy, addiction-free futures. The goal is to enhance addiction information, prevention, and intervention services to youth in schools through classroom, out-of-classroom, and community activities; Web-based information; lesson plans for teachers; information materials and resources for teachers and parents; and access to treatment for youth who are experiencing problems related to alcohol, other drugs, and gambling. AADACs School Strategy focuses on key transition points where the right information or program, delivered when it is most relevant, can have the greatest influence on youth. It is based on principles of comprehensiveness, collaboration, youth involvement, best practices, acknowledgment of individuals who influence youth, and recognition of the capacity of youth to manage their own lives. For more information on AADAC Youth Services, the Alberta Tobacco Reduction Strategy, and programs and resources that can help support tobacco-free schools, visit our Web site at www.aadac.com. The Alberta Tobacco Reduction Strategy: Supporting tobacco-free schools Ten steps toward an effective school tobacco policy STEP 1 : B ring people together Begin by bringing people together to address the problem of tobacco use. You may need to form a new working committee to develop the tobacco-free policy, or an existing group may be appropriate to take on this task. Designate a group facilitator. This person will ensure meetings are arranged and that the actual work required to write the policy is accomphshed between meetings. At the first meeting, the facilitator will help the group clarify its purpose, time frame, and expected outcome. Since school policies need to be consistent with authority- wide policies, your facilitator should ensure that the working committee is aware of the authority-wide policy on tobacco in schools. A tobacco-free school policy affects the entire school community, which includes students, parents, teachers, administrators, parent council members, public health nurses, local neighbours, school resource officers and community police officers. Involve people from each of these groups in the policy development process. Also, try to include both people who use tobacco and those who do not. In this way, everyone's concerns will be heard, the policy and consequences can be implemented effectively, and all parties will share a commitment to making the poUcy work. STEP 2: Clarify the purpose and principles of the policy The facilitator should provide a copy of this handbook to all members of the group. When group members are familiar with the issues outlined in the handbook, they can work together to state the purpose of their tobacco-free school poUcy. For example, the puipose of the policy might be "to help make the school environment healthy for everyone by eliminating exposure to the harmful effects of tobacco." It is also important to state the principles on which the policy is based. Here are some examples of principles: • Tobacco use is harmful to the school community. • Nicotine is addictive. • Creating a healthy environment for the school community is everyone's responsibility. • The policy is supportive of people trying to quit. Creating policy for tobacco-free schools Setting the right environment for • The policy is part of the school's broader tobacco a tobacco-free school policy is critical prevention program. to its success. • The policy will be applied fairly to everyone. • Is tobacco prevention curriculum currently used in the classroom? • The school poHcy is consistent with authority-wide policy. • Do students and staff have access STEP 3: Ensure that prevention resources to tobacco reduction resources and strategies are in place and information in the school environment? Research has shown that tobacco-free school policies are most effective • Is support available for students when they include an effective tobacco prevention curriculum. Some and staff struggling with stressful of the tobacco prevention strategies that have been most successful school, work or personal concerns? with youth are those that build young people s l eadership and coping skills through involvement in tobacco reduction projects and activities. When youth are challenged to participate and contribute to a school or community-based tobacco awareness and reduction project, they feel a sense of ownership in what they are trying to achieve. Living in a tobacco-free environment and having role models who do not use tobacco are also important factors in preventing tobacco use among youth. Refer to the Resources section of this handbook for more information on Alberta Tobacco Reduction Strategy (ATRS) prevention programs and resources. STEP 4: Support student and staff efforts to quit Programs that help smokers stop using tobacco are important supports to successful tobacco-free school policies. Such programs can produce a quicker and probably greater short-term public health benefit than any other component of a comprehensive tobacco reduction program. Quitting is hard and most people attempt it more than once before they succeed. Programs that focus on skill development help plant the seeds for future efforts to quit. Assisting staff to quit smoking is not only good for the smoker but also provides an excellent role modehng opportunity to youth. Fewer adult smokers will lead to fewer youth that smoke. Information about Alberta Tobacco Reduction Strategy (ATRS) provincial programs and resources is available in the Resources section of this handbook. AADAC • 2003 The Alberta Tobacco Reduction Strategy: Supporting tobacco-free schools Suggested Consequences for STEP 5: Agree on the content of the policy Violations of a Tobacco-Free School Policy clear guidelines help everyone in the school community know what is expected of them and what they can expect of each other. A tobacco- FOR STUDENTS free school policy will state exactly where and when tobacco use is not From Making It Work: Guidelines for allowed. Make it clear that the policy developed applies to everyone on Creating Effective Smoke-Free School- Based Policies by the Nova Scotia School school property (students, teachers, staff and visitors) and to all types Smoking Prevention Coalition (2002) of tobacco use. • Have the student meet with a trusted adult at the school The cultural and ceremonial use of tobacco by many North American to discuss the issue. Aboriginal people should be taken into account when developing a • Immediately notify the parents of tobacco-free school policy. First Nations people have used tobacco the student involved by telephone, as a medicine and in ceremony for thousands of years. Smoke from with a follow-up meeting held tobacco is believed to carry prayers and thoughts to the Creator and between the student, the parent, to all the relatives that have gone before. It is offered to elders and and the administration. teachers before asking for advice, for the interpretation of a dream • Refer students to tobacco or for special prayers. Exceptions should be allowed when Aboriginal cessation resources and Internet youth are in possession of non-commercial tobacco for ceremonial sites (see the Resources section purposes or for gift giving. of this handbook for information on Alberta resources). To be effective, a tobacco-free school policy must include consequences • Assign a series of lunch-hour for those who violate the established policy. These consequences must detentions or a full day in-school be appropriate and must fall within the guidelines estabhshed by the suspension. school authority. Refer to Appendix A for a sample of a tobacco-free school policy. • During detentions or in-school suspensions, have the student complete a personal reflection Key considerations regarding consequences included in your policy activity about tobacco use (reflection activities were School authorities and schools are "experts" in determining effective accessed through the Nova behavioural consequences. However, when developing consequences Scotia Department of Health, for policy violations, the following are important points to keep in mind Tobacco Control Unit Web site to ensure the policy is effective: www.gov.ns.ca/health/tcu). • Violations of the policy must be taken seriously from the very • Reserve more severe consequences first violation. for students who repeatedly violate the policy or display • Consequences for violating the policy must be implemented a defiant attitude regarding immediately. breaking the tobacco-free school policy. Out-of-school suspensions • Consequences must be applied fairly and consistently. should be used as a last resort at the discretion of the school • Consequences must be in accordance with relevant code(s) administration. of conduct and/or the school discipline policy The school must have sufficient resources to implement the conse- quences that are chosen. For example, if an in-school suspension is For information on solution-based chosen as a consequence, the school will need to have someone to consequences see supervise the suspension. If the school does not have the resources McConkey, N. (2000). Solving school to implement the consequences outhned in the poHcy, the policy problems: Solution - focused strategies for principals, teachers and counsellors. will be ineffective. Therefore, the consequences of poUcy violations Bragg Creek, AB: Solution Talk Press. must be feasible for the school to implement. Creating policy for tobacco-free schools Suggested Consequences for STEP 6: Write the policy in clear, easy-to-understand Violations of a Tobacco-Free language School Policy A clearly written policy provides everyone with a clear and common FOR THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY reference point. Copies of the draft tobacco-free school policy should From Making It Work: Guidelines for be shared with all members of the school community. The input from Creating Effective Smoke-Free School- the school community will help to ensure that the policy is more widely Based Policies by the Nova Scotia School Smoking Prevention Coalition (2002) accepted and that important issues have not been overlooked. Ask scliool visitors wlio violate the Review your draft policy to ensure that it includes policy to refrain from using tobacco. If t he visitor refuses to comply, ask • a clearly stated purpose the visitor to leave the premises. • reference to relevant school codes of conduct Ask visitors (e.g., community groups) who regularly use the school for • reference to authority-wide policy on tobacco in schools activities and who violate the policy to refrain from tobacco use. For a • the principles on which the policy is based second offence, revoke the group's • statements about the consequences of unacceptable school-use privileges. behavior Deal with teachers and staff who • statements about how the poUcy will be enforced violate the tobacco-free school policy according to the applicable collective • statements about the responsibility of students, teachers, agreements. parents, and administrators • the time frame for evaluating the policy and the person or people who will initiate and execute the evaluation (see Step 9) STEP 7: Develop and implement a communication strategy Everyone in the school community needs to be informed about the written policy, when it w ill come into effect, and to whom they can direct any questions about the policy. All communication about the policy should be positive and should explain that the policy is an outcome of provincial legislation and is part of the school's broader efforts to reduce the harm from tobacco. It is helpful to let everyone know that the poKcy was developed with input from students, staff, and community members. Members of the school community need to know the consequences of violating the policy. The communication strategy should also provide information about where students and staff can go if t hey need help dealing with tobacco use or other problems. If the tobacco-free school policy is implemented in the middle of the school year, be sure to allow time to communicate the policy and its implications to students, staff, parents and volunteers in advance of the implementation date. AADAC • 2003