Programs & Resources
Youth Cessation Programs
Research-Tested Intervention Programs
This program is part of a larger web portal called Cancer Control Planet that was developed collaboratively and is maintained to make it easier to find scientific information and evidence-based tools for use in public health and clinical practice.
To find research-tested intervention programs for tobacco cessation, click on “Select from 107 Intervention Programs.” Once there, you can select Tobacco and refine your search by Age, Race/Ethnicity, or Setting. Many of the programs listed can be downloaded directly to your computer or can be obtained on CD free of charge. For some of the programs, you must contact the developers as noted and arrange to obtain the materials.
Not On Tobacco (N-O-T) is the American Lung Association’s (ALA's) voluntary program for teens who want to quit smoking. It is the most researched, most widely used and most successful such program in the United States.
To develop this state-of-the art program, the ALA partnered with researchers at the West Virginia Prevention Research Center at West Virginia University. The program is research-based, effective, easy to use, and well received by teens. Since 1999, more than 150,000 teens in 48 states have participated in the N-O-T program.
Major Characteristics of N-O-T:
- Allows teens to volunteer to participate: no coercion.
- Includes group activities, discussions, journaling, and role-playing.
- Has separate activities for boys and girls.
- Uses a total-health approach: offers advice on healthy behaviors, stress management, and life skills.
- Consists of 10 sessions and can be used in schools or community settings.
- Is based on more than 10 years of research and evaluation.
- Is proven effective: has a 21% quit rate, higher than any other similar program.
N-O-T helps teens understand why they smoke and helps them develop the skills, confidence, and support they need to quit. Teens learn the skills they need to tackle tough problems such as nicotine withdrawal, cravings to smoke, and peer pressure to continue smoking.
N-O-T also deals with other issues that are important to teens, such as how to control weight after quitting, how to manage stress in healthy ways, and how to communicate effectively. N O T has different tips for boys and for girls because research shows that boys and girls have different reasons for smoking and need different strategies for quitting.
Youth Cessation Resources
Clinicians & Providers
- Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update
Published in 2008, this guideline provides recommendations for clinicians to consider for helping children and adolescents quit smoking. - Youth Quitline Ads
Series 1 | Series 2 | Series 3
The following print ads are targeted to youth and provide examples of ways to promote quitline services to youth. Examples from various state materials were used to develop the Ads. These are templates that can be used by any state to promote their state quitline.
Parents and Teachers
- Materials for Parents and Teachers
The National Institute on Drug Abuse developed these materials specifically for parents and teachers.
Tobacco Free Schools
- Healthy Youth: Tobacco Use
This site, hosted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division, includes information on tobacco use among young people and fact sheets on the School Health Policies and Programs Study.
Teens and Young Adults
- Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights: Young Adults
Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights has created a page devoted to Young Adults within the Target Populations section of its web site. It focuses on how the tobacco industry targets young adults and provides “Fast Ways to Tell the Tobacco Companies to ‘Butt Out’!” - NIDA for Teens
This web page created especially for teens by the National Institute on Drug Abuse gives the scoop on smoking and includes tons of information about nicotine. Have a question? Try the “Ask Dr. NIDA” feature!
Help to Quit Smoking
If you are a smoker, chances are you have thought about quitting and already tried to quit at least once. If you have tried and failed, don’t give up! You are not alone. Help is available.
There are a lot of options to find the best help for you on quitting smoking.
Take a look at what’s happening at your school or in your neighborhood. You may be able to sign up for a group program or activity that offers support to help you beat smoking once and for all. Or, you can talk to your parents or your doctor about help to quit smoking. They may be able to provide the support and advice you need to help quit.
Also, check out the free resources and experts available:
- Websites and toll-free numbers to help adults quit smoking, like Smokefree.gov and 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669), have online guides and step-by-step advice to help adults and may have some quit tips that you can find useful.
- The American Cancer Society Quit For Life® Program operated by Free & Clear® is a telephone-based coaching and Web-based learning support service to help people quit smoking. To learn more about Quit For Life, or for help with any cancer-related question, call any time at 1-800-227-2345.
- To help adult smokers quit, the American Lung Association offers Freedom From Smoking®. The program teaches the skills and techniques that have been proven to help smokers quit. Freedom From Smoking® in available as a group clinic, an online program and a self-help book. You can also speak to a cessation counselor at the Lung HelpLine. You can visit them online at http://www.ffsonline.org/ or call 1-800-548-8252.
Whatever option you choose, don’t forget that support is there to help you quit smoking!
