Smokeless Saturday School
Smokeless Saturday is a diversion program for youth cited for possession of tobacco products or paraphernalia by a minor. Since many minors who are cited for possession of tobacco products may be addicted or are at risk of becoming addicted, it is critical to help them quit before a lifetime of tobacco dependency and health problems occur. As a result, this program, offenders have the opportunity to attend a Saturday morning class to learn more about tobacco use and addiction as an alternative to the fines prescribed by the law.
Throughout the class, a trained facilitator helps the teens explore a number of different tobacco control topics, including:
- Education about the dangers and consequences of tobacco use and addiction
- Discussion and identification of reasons why each minor chooses to smoke
- Examination of the portrayal of tobacco in the media
- Strategies and resources to avoid trigger situations
- Goal setting and coping skills
Benefits
The youth who participate in this program will come away with a clearer understanding of the risks associated with smoking, the reasons they smoke, and the tools they need to quit. Their parents will also be given resources to support their kids and encourage them not to smoke.
For more information, contact Dennis Achá at (408) 998-5865 or dennis@lungsrus.org.