ADA supports tobacco-free school laws

ADA delegates voted to support laws or policies that incorporate the “Guidelines for School Health Programs to Prevention Tobacco Use and Addiction” developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with tobacco-use prevention experts across the country, the ADA said in a press release. The guidelines include tobacco-use prevention and education in kindergarten through 12^th grade and support for tobacco-use cessation efforts among students and school staff.

According to the CDC, a tobacco-free school can help prevent and reduce tobacco use in youth and help them avoid tobacco-related diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

Each year, an estimated 438,000 people in the U.S. die prematurely from smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke and another 8.6 million have a serious illness caused by smoking, according to the CDC. If current smoking patterns persist in the U.S., approximately 5 million people younger than 18 years old will die prematurely of tobacco-related diseases.

The ADA encourages its members and state dental societies to collaborate with students, parents, school officials, and members of their communities to establish tobacco-free schools.