Teaching Students the Harms of Smoking Drugs and Alcohol and Instilling Refusal and Life Skills (2025)
Teaching Students the Harms of Smoking Drugs and Alcohol and Instilling Refusal and Life Skills (2025)
Written By:听听Lindsay Hughes | Collaborators: Matthew Johnston
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RELEVANCE
Misconceptions about the risks of vaping, alcohol, prescription drug misuse, and marijuana, combined with measurable increases among youth, highlight the importance of education, early intervention, and community-level prevention efforts. The 2023 Delaware School Survey shows most students do not perceive vaping as high risk. Vaping continues to surpass cigarette use among youth. Six percent of 5th graders have tried vaping. By 8th grade, 10% of students reported vaping in the last year. These findings show a need for enhanced prevention strategies.
RESPONSE
Delaware 4-H implements Botvin LifeSkills, an effective substance abuse prevention program to prevent the onset of tobacco use among Delaware youth. Preventing the use of cigarettes will keep youth from using alcohol, marijuana, and illicit drugs. The program was taught to elementary and middle school students in schools and after-school programs. The program increases knowledge of the consequences of tobacco and other substance use. It also helps prevent the use of tobacco and other substances. Youth learn life skills: self-image, stress management, communication and assertiveness, to help make positive decisions.
RESULTS
Students who participated in the Botvin LifeSkills Program completed a pre- and post-questionnaire. National Health Promotion Associates prepared the survey summaries. For elementary school students, the summary consisted of 50% boys and 48% girls. For middle school students, the summary consisted of 38% boys and 62% girls. The following highlights:
Elementary School participants:
- Anti-Smoking 鈥 Students indicated they learned cigarette smoking causes their teeth to turn yellow or brown (97%), mouth cancer (96%), their heart to beat faster (95%), their skin to wrinkle (93%), and people who smoke have a hard time stopping (85%).
- Stress Management 鈥 Students indicated they learned there is something they can do when they feel stressed (98%), stress can cause illness (88%), and when people feel bad about themselves, it affects how well they do in other activities (86%).
- Peer Pressure Management 鈥 Students learned they should not let other people influence their decisions (94%), there is something they can do besides go along with peer pressure (90%), it is best to think decisions through (82%), and a good way to refuse is to be assertive (81%).
Middle School participants:
- Anti-Smoking 鈥 Students learned smoking reduces a person's endurance for physical activity (90%) and could affect the steadiness of their hands (86%).
- Anti-Drug 鈥 Students learned smoking marijuana does not improve eyesight (96%), causes their heart to beat faster (80%), and cocaine and other hard drugs do not always make one feel good (84%).
Refusal Skills 鈥 Students said they would say 鈥渘o鈥 when someone tries to get them to vape or smoke an e-cigarette (92%), a cigarette (90%), smoke marijuana (90%), use prescription drugs prescribed for someone else (90%), use cocaine and other drugs (90%), or drink beer, wine or liquor (88%).
PUBLIC VALUE STATEMENT
Drug prevention in Delaware is crucial for youth to learn facts about drugs, alcohol and prescription drugs. The Botvin LifeSkills Program has helped Delaware鈥檚 students build self-esteem, make better decisions and learn to be assertive when pressured to use.