Valley teens educate youth about dangers of tobacco

During the weekend of Dec. 10 to 12, 63 Valley youths were trained to educate younger children about the dangers of tobacco use and second-hand smoke. BreatheFREE Mat-Su, a tobacco prevention program of Kids Are People Inc., has facilitated the Teens Against Tobacco Use program for five years, but organizers say this year had record attendance. Youth from local high schools were educated about the dangers of tobacco use and second-hand smoke, the tactics of tobacco companies in garnering them as customers and presentation, and lesson-planning skills.

Upon returning to their schools, each TATU group creates and presents tobacco education sessions to fourth-graders at local elementary schools. Since younger students often react better to such messages from older youth than from adults, organizers say this program has been very successful in the past. Students attended from Burchell, Colony, Houston, Palmer, Su-Valley and Wasilla High schools.

For more information about TATU or other tobacco issues, call BreatheFREE Mat-Su at 373-7982.