TEACHING STUDENTS HOW TO APPROACH OTHERS ABOUT QUITTING SMOKING AND USING THE QUIT SMOKING MATERIALS

IMPORTANCE OF PEER TEACHERS

Students can be the best anti-tobacco and anti-drug advocates when it comes to educating and persuading other students/peers about the harmful health, economic, cosmetic and social effects of tobacco and drugs. When students are given the proper tools and communication skills they can be truly effective in preventing and stopping their friends from smoking and using drugs.

Many times students have fear about parents or loved ones who smoke, and want to feel empowered to approach the subject. Teachers play a pivotal role by providing students with proper communication skills and techniques. With proper communication techniques, students are able to teach other students the harmful consequences of drug and tobacco use.

APPROACHING OTHERS

When students learn techniques they:

1. Must maintain their boundaries and be respectful of the other person

2. Should come from a mode of ‘ caring’ not ‘anger’

3. Should know as much information as possible about the health, economic, cosmetic, historical and social facts to convince someone to quit smoking or taking drugs

4. Learn ‘selling skills’ and how to target beliefs (taken from the beginning of the curriculum guide)

MATERIALS

Written materials about quitting tobacco are available in both English and Spanish. The materials were written for students to give to their parents and friends.

Another strategy for informing parents about the effects of drugs, is to require parents to look over the In-DEPTH Workbook and sign the book or a piece of paper saying they have reviewed the materials. NOTE:After this activity, many parents have called teachers requesting help with their own drug use or that of their spouse.

**IMPORTANT**

It is important for students to remember that tobacco is very addicting and difficult to quit. And, they are not failures if the person they talk with doesn't want to or can’t quit. It is also important for students to present the material in a polite and non threatening manner. We do not want students to go home with information and get punished or make their parents angry at them. We want students to have materials they can use to express their own feeling or caring about their parents or friends drug and tobacco use.

Teacher should ask students: Would you rather have someone say to you?

1. "You are stupid for smoking."

2. "I love you and would like you to read this information."

Number two comes from a caring space, and people are more likely to listen to us or hear what we have to say when we approach them nicely. When we disagree, are condescending or make people feel inferior they will put up a wall and tune us out.

ACTIVITY

Put students in groups of two.

Have them write 5 anti-tobacco messages that might work with friends.

Have them write what they are most likely to hear when they ask someone to stop smoking.

Go over "Tobacco Objections"and answer provided.

Have them role play anti-tobacco message, handling objections and close.

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