(NC)-Research has shown time and time again that tobacco prevention programs are most effective if the prevention message is delivered, reinforced and revisited periodically over time. The Lung Association's Lungs Are For Life, a teacher delivered smoking prevention program does just that. It provides children from the age of four through to their teenage years with the skills they need to help them refuse tobacco and other harmful drugs.

The newly revised program teaches students about the health and social consequences of smoking and motivates them to resist the pressures of using substances.

The program is so easy to implement that according to one teacher, "you simply add water and stir." Teachers are provided with all the materials they need including curriculum based lesson plans, activities to involve parents, a listing of community resources, including web sites and videos, and evaluation tools.

"We believe we are providing a unique and effective smoking prevention program for young people," says Ross Reid, President and CEO of The Lung Association. "In fact, 92 percent of teachers rated the Lungs Are For Life program as a high quality and valuable resource, which offers an excellent method for communicating tobacco prevention messages to Ontario's youth."

Lungs Are For Life now has an online address! At www.lungsareforlife.ca, kids, teachers and parents can discover all the disgusting facts about smoking.

There is truly something for everyone at lungsareforlife.ca. Teachers can download the Lungs Are For Life curriculum materials, parents can learn how to speak to their child about smoking and kids can take a totally gross quiz, print out cool downloads and much more, all while learning to identify unsafe substances, resist pressures to use harmful drugs and understand the health risks associated with smoking.

The Lungs Are For Life program, developed by The Lung Association in partnership with the Curriculum and School-Based Health Resource Centre with funding from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, is available to all Ontario teachers free of charge.To learn more about the program, to order your curriclum or to download the materials, call 1-888-566-5864 (LUNG) or visit www.lungsareforlife.ca.

- News Canada
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