The Tennessee Ways & Means Committee is meeting now to determine how to use our tobacco settlement money. Instead of having this money spent on building roads, have your students write their legislatures asking them to spend it on tobacco prevention education. Students can practice their letter-writing and persuasion skills, while gaining a better understanding of how political change takes place. Click here ACT NOW for background information.
| A recent Tennessee Health Department tobacco
usage survey found that 50% of Tennessee middle school students
and 78% of the state's high school students have used tobacco
products, including cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, cigars and pipes.
Additionally, the survey concluded that 21% of middle school students and
45% of high school students are currently users of tobacco products.
These staggering figures have prompted the Tar Wars initiative. Tar Wars is a pro-health tobacco-free in-school education program and poster contest. Its ultimate goal is to discourage tobacco use among Tennessee's youth and to increase their awareness of the effects of smoking on the body. The program is sponsored by the Tennessee Academy of Family Physicians. These students from Jefferson County placed in
the Tar Wars State PosterCompetition Contest recently in Nashville!
A special celebration in their honor will be Thursday, April 4, 2000, 4:00
pm, at the Jefferson County Health Department's Conference Room.
If you are interested in attending, contact Alice Kirkpatrick at 475-2091
x210. Directions: From I-40 heading take exit 417. Turn
toward Dandridge onto Highway 92. Proceed approximately 2 miles.
You will pass Dandridge Elementary school on your left. Immediately
pass that, you will take the first road to the left - Industrial Park Road.
The Health Department is on your right there. Park in the back and
come in that door. The conferenece room is on your right after entering
the hallway.
1999 Poster Contest Winners
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April 5, 2000 |
