1. www.tarwars.org 800-TAR-WARS Presented by Ginnie Flynn Illinois Academy of Family Physicians

2. The Problem: Too Many Smokers, Not Enough $ States cut funding for tobacco prevention programming by 28% in the last three years, and progress in reducing youth smoking ground to a halt. States spent $538 million on tobacco prevention Big Tobacco spent $12.7 billion advertising CDC reports from 2002-2004 – high school smoking rates remained unchanged, middle school tobacco use decline from 13.3% to 11.7%.

3. Tar Wars is  A school-based tobacco prevention program for 4 th and 5 th grade level  One hour, one class volunteer lesson  Nationwide and overseas effort reaching an estimated 500,000 children each year  Developed in 1988 by a family physician and health educator  Owned and operated by AAFP with funding from the AAFP Foundation.

4. Tar Wars Partners  Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids  National Association of School Nurses  AAFP Constituent Chapters (states, Uniformed Services)  Local partnerships with health departments, Tobacco coalitions, medical schools, school boards, allied health professionals and community groups.

5. Tar Wars Objectives Increase knowledge of the short-term effects of tobacco use Increase knowledge of the short-term effects of tobacco use  Realize that most people do not use tobacco  Emphasize the benefits of being tobacco-free  Learn how advertising influences people to buy and use tobacco

6. Reasons to use the Tar Wars Program FREE to schools and presenters FREE to schools and presenters Can be used by variety of professionals in many settings Can be used by variety of professionals in many settings Easy to fold into school calendar – one hour, one day Easy to fold into school calendar – one hour, one day Online program guide, nothing to order Online program guide, nothing to order Only supplies needed: drinking straws and magazine ads for tobacco products. Only supplies needed: drinking straws and magazine ads for tobacco products.

7. Reasons to use the Tar Wars Program Web site offers supplemental activities that can be used in longer programs Web site offers supplemental activities that can be used in longer programs State coordinators provide information, facilitate communication and administer state poster contest State coordinators provide information, facilitate communication and administer state poster contest Poster contests offer exposure for the issue and rewards for the children Poster contests offer exposure for the issue and rewards for the children

8. Reasons to use the Tar Wars Program Nationally supported, founded by physicians and updated annually to ensure accuracy. Nationally supported, founded by physicians and updated annually to ensure accuracy. Program guide also available in Spanish Program guide also available in Spanish Lesson is age appropriate Lesson is age appropriate The program is fun for kids and fun for presenters The program is fun for kids and fun for presenters

9. CDC Guidelines for School Health Programs to Prevent Tobacco Use and Addiction Instruction should Instruction should:   Decrease the social acceptability of tobacco use and show that most young people do not smoke.   Help students understand why young people start to use tobacco and identify more positive activities to meet their goals.   Develop students’ skills in assertiveness, goal setting, problem solving, and resisting pressure from the media and peers to use tobacco. Tar Wars is consistent with these three guidelines

10. Snapshots of Tar Wars at work McLean County (central Illinois) - Presented by McLean County Dept. of Public Health Presented by McLean County Dept. of Public Health Illinois Academy of Family Physicians provides state coordinator and infrastructure since 1998. Illinois Academy of Family Physicians provides state coordinator and infrastructure since 1998. Presented the Tar Wars program 72 times to 1,820 elementary students at 25 schools in 2004 Presented the Tar Wars program 72 times to 1,820 elementary students at 25 schools in 2004 1,453 Students submitted posters for local contest 1,453 Students submitted posters for local contest 22 elementary student posters will become billboards in McLean County. 22 elementary student posters will become billboards in McLean County. Partnership with businesses and schools allowed for billboards to continue even after state funding was drastically reduced Partnership with businesses and schools allowed for billboards to continue even after state funding was drastically reduced

11. Snapshots of Tar Wars at work McLean County (central Illinois) - Pre and Post testing shows improvement in students’ knowledge N=1,820 QuestionsCorrect% PRETEST14,05811,74483.5 POSTTEST14,05812,50188.9 Most significant improvements shown in tobacco’s effect on heart rate and blood pressure (+33%), tobacco advertisements misleading tactics (+11%) 98 % of the students responded that they enjoyed the Tar Wars program

12. Snapshots of Tar Wars at work McLean County (central Illinois) -

13. Snapshots of Tar Wars at work Bureau/Putnam counties (central Illinois) Presented by Bureau/Putnam Bi-County Dept. of Public Health Presented by Bureau/Putnam Bi-County Dept. of Public Health Active Tar Wars program since 2001 Active Tar Wars program since 2001 Presented the Tar Wars program to 252 Bureau County and 152 Putnam Co. school children in 2004 Presented the Tar Wars program to 252 Bureau County and 152 Putnam Co. school children in 2004 100% of children reported in post test they enjoyed the program. 100% of children reported in post test they enjoyed the program. 403 out of 404 students reported they would never try tobacco 403 out of 404 students reported they would never try tobacco Partnership with businesses and schools allowed for billboards to continue even after state funding was drastically reduced. Partnership with businesses and schools allowed for billboards to continue even after state funding was drastically reduced.

14. Snapshots of Tar Wars at work Pennsylvania Administered by the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians 2004 Pennsylvania Evaluation Survey Results 2004 Pennsylvania Evaluation Survey Results Total Surveys Tabulated4,475 Total Surveys Tabulated4,475 Pre-Test (2,976) Post-Test (1,499) Key Findings:PretestPost test Smoking decreases amount of air getting to lungs88.6%92.7% Using tobacco speeds heart rate and raises BP56.9%80.1% Tobacco ads tell the truth about using tobacco73.2%86.6%

15. Snapshots of Illinois Tar Wars at work The National Poster Contest in Washington, D.C. Winner’s travel funded by IAFP Foundation Illinois 2002 winner with U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin

16. Snapshots of Illinois Tar Wars at work The National Poster Contest in Washington, D.C. Illinois 2003 winner and family in front of the U.S. Capitol

17. Evaluation of the Colorado Tar Wars Program State Tobacco Education and Prevention Program (STEPP) 01-02 grant -Colorado AFP and U. of Colorado Health Sciences, Dept. of Family Medicine 299 Schools 900 Classrooms 22,000 Children

24. Get Started with Tar Wars Go to www.tarwars.org for program guide and to locate your state coordinator Go to www.tarwars.org for program guide and to locate your state coordinatorwww.tarwars.org Get local, district, county, state schools to give you one hour of one day. Get local, district, county, state schools to give you one hour of one day. Share with your tobacco-control partners Share with your tobacco-control partners Make Tar Wars part of your comprehensive tobacco prevention efforts Make Tar Wars part of your comprehensive tobacco prevention efforts