Prevention

Most smokers start smoking when they are teenagers. And many start even younger than that. Nine percent of current Alberta smokers say they started smoking between the ages of 5 and 11. Overall, boys are more likely to start at a younger age than girls.

Very few people start smoking as adults. There is some evidence that young adults (19 - 25) are vulnerable to cigarette marketing and that more people are starting to smoke at this age. But it is safe to say that if you make it to adulthood without smoking, you will likely stay smoke-free for life. That's why a focus on youth prevention is so important. If we are to reduce the smoking rate in Alberta, we have to prevent young people from starting to smoke in the first place.

There are several school-based tobacco prevention programs available in Alberta, including Teaming Up for Tobacco-Free Kids, and Building Leadership for Action in Schools Today (BLAST). Click here for more information and other Youth Programs.

AADAC also has a number of Teachers’ Resources that are directly linked to the Alberta Education Curriculum Outcomes for Health and Life Skills, as well as English Language Arts, Social Studies and Drama. These resources can help you plan and deliver quality lessons supporting the Alberta curriculum for grades 3 to 6, 7 to 9 and 10 to 12, at the same time delivering effective prevention messages to youth.

Preventing kids from starting to smoke can be as simple as talking to them about the dangers of smoking and addiction. And setting a good example. Have a look at Why Teens Smoke, and Prevention Tips for some ideas on how to get started.