Tobacco Information for Educators
Congratulations on taking the first step to helping your school be tobacco- and nicotine-free! A 100% tobacco-free campus policy protects the health of all students, staff, and visitors to your school.
Students using tobacco and nicotine products at school need help, not punishment. They will thrive in a school environment that connects them to resources, education, and social support to live tobacco-free lives.
What you can do
- Adopt a 100% tobacco-free policy, which prohibits all tobacco and nicotine products from school properties.
- Replace punitive measures for tobacco and nicotine possession with restorative practices. In K-12 schools, this means offering alternatives to suspension for students who are caught with tobacco and nicotine products.
- Educate students on tobacco and nicotine to keep them tobacco- and nicotine-free.
- Refer students to quit resources available to all Rhode Islanders, such as QuitNowRI and My Life, My Quit.
Please browse the resources to learn more about what's best for you and your school. To request technical assistance, contact Jillian Angell, TCP's Youth and Young Adult Coordinator (jillian.angell@health.ri.gov).
Have you heard of My Life, My Quit?
Teens face unique challenges when trying to quit tobacco and nicotine products because of how addictive nicotine can be to a developing brain. Fortunately, My Life, My Quit coaches are here to help! This program offers free, customized, and confidential support to teens trying to quit using tobacco and nicotine products, such as vapes. It is now available to Rhode Island teens until June 30, 2026.
To get started, teens can:
- Text START to 36072
- Visit MyLifeMyQuit.com [mylifemyquit.com]
- Download the My Life, My Quit app (new!)
Help your students know about this program. Please complete this form to request posters, wallet cards, and other tobacco-free campus materials to be sent to your school.
K-12 Schools
- K-12 Strategy Guide: Three simple things every K-12 school should do.
- Model Policy: Does your school need a tobacco-free policy? This one is ready-to-use.
- Youth Tobacco Use Prevention Resources: A curated list of youth-friendly tobacco prevention and education materials.
- Schools Supporting Students to Quit Tobacco Use as an Alternative to Suspension: Lessons from the Field: Why alternatives to suspension make a difference.
- RISAS's Emerging Trends in Youth Vaping: Free online training modules just for Rhode Island educators.
- Stanford REACH Lab's Tobacco Prevention Toolkit: Free evidence-based content for your classroom on tobacco use prevention and alternatives to suspension.
- CDC's Empower Vape-Free Youth: Ideas and inspiration for how to talk to your students about vaping.
Colleges and Universities
- College/University Tobacco Policy Assessment Tool (coming soon)
- Tobacco-free Model Policy: Does your campus need a tobacco-free policy? This one is ready-to-use.
- Smokefree Colleges: Guidance on how to join the 2100+ US colleges that are 100% tobacco-free.
- Truth Initiative's Vape-Free College Grant: Need support making your campus tobacco-free? Apply for this grant from Truth Initiative.
- Eliminate Tobacco Use: Ideas, resources, toolkits, and social media content for tobacco-free college campuses.
More Resources
To learn more about this topic:
- Emerging Tobacco Products: New products are emerging all the time and often appeal to young people. Here's what to watch for.
- How to Safely Dispose of E-Cigarettes in Schools and Small Businesses: Learn how to safely get rid of vapes found in your school.
- Rhode Island Regional Prevention Coalitions: Connect with a prevention coalition near you on tobacco-free places and spaces.