#ICANendthetrend
The primary goal of #iCANendthetrend is to provide tobacco use prevention services to youth, families, and community members across Kentucky. #iCANendthetrend is an evidence informed program developed by College of Education faculty in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion (Dr. Ickes) at the University of Kentucky in collaboration with college tobacco-free ambassadors. #iCANendthetrend aims to help build awareness on the dangers of tobacco use, including e-cigarette use, costs associated with nicotine dependence, and ways youth have been targeted and influenced to use these products.
The program uses a near-peer model in which elementary, middle, and high school students are connected with trained college student facilitators. In addition, the goal is to empower younger generations to end the trend of tobacco and e-cigarette use among their peers and in their communities through skill-based and engaging lessons, tailored training, and outreach opportunities.
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Tailored lessons and opportunities
#iCANendthetrend focuses on empowering young people to prevent tobacco and e-cigarette use. We offer tailored presentations for 4th-12th grade that align with the National and Kentucky Health Education Standards. Schools can select a one or three session presentation. Our 45-minute compiled presentation includes information on the dangers of e-cigarettes, health and financial consequences, what it means for this product to be a trend, how students are targeted through use of flavors, marketing, and social norm perceptions. We also build in refusal skills and share quitting resources tailored for young people. We highly recommend our 3-session presentation, which covers similar content, but allows for greater opportunity to go further in depth and includes additional interactive and skill-building activities. This longer session also gives the peer facilitators more time to build connections with the students and encourage additional conversations about the topic. In addition, we conduct youth advocacy workshops and offer programming specifically targeted to athletes, parents, community members, pre-professionals, and professionals.
Logic model
Funding
This project is supported by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Kentucky Prevention and Cessation Program.
Ickes, M. E-cigarette youth prevention, education, and empowerment program. ($546,000). July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2024.