Les Desirables Kick Butts: Empowering Middle Schoolers to Fight Tobacco

Les Desirables Kick Butts is an award-winning program that empowers middle school students to become anti-smoking advocates and leaders in their communities. Started in 2003 by the Center for Health Promotion and Education at the University of California, San Francisco, the program has reached over 30,000 students in California and beyond. Students in the program learn about the dangers of tobacco use, develop media literacy skills, and advocate for smoke-free policies. They also receive support from mentors and community partners to help them stay smoke-free.

The Importance of Youth Empowerment

Adolescence is a critical time for preventing tobacco use. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),nearly 90% of adult smokers start smoking before the age of 18. By empowering youth to make healthy choices and advocate for themselves and their communities, Les Desirables Kick Butts aims to reduce the number of young people who start smoking.

Les Desirable: Kick Butts (Middle School Book 5)

by Dennis E. McGowan

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1904 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	109 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE

The program is based on the belief that young people have the power to make a difference. They are passionate, creative, and eager to make their voices heard. By providing them with the knowledge, skills, and support they need, Les Desirables Kick Butts helps youth to become effective advocates for tobacco prevention.

Program Components

Les Desirables Kick Butts is a comprehensive program that includes a variety of components, including:

• Education: Students learn about the dangers of tobacco use, the tobacco industry's marketing tactics, and the importance of smoke-free policies.
• Media literacy: Students develop critical thinking skills to analyze tobacco advertising and media messages.
• Advocacy: Students participate in advocacy campaigns to promote smoke-free policies and raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco use.
• Mentoring: Students receive support from mentors who are former smokers or who have been affected by tobacco smoke.
• Community partnerships: The program partners with local organizations to provide students with opportunities to volunteer and advocate for tobacco prevention.

Program Outcomes

Les Desirables Kick Butts has been shown to be an effective program for reducing tobacco use among youth. Studies have found that students who participate in the program are less likely to start smoking, and those who do smoke are more likely to quit.

In addition to reducing tobacco use, Les Desirables Kick Butts also improves students' knowledge about tobacco, their media literacy skills, and their advocacy skills. Students who participate in the program are also more likely to be physically active and to have healthy eating habits.

Les Desirables Kick Butts is an innovative and effective program that empowers youth to make healthy choices and advocate for themselves and their communities. By providing students with the knowledge, skills, and support they need, the program helps to reduce the number of young people who start smoking and improves the overall health of our youth.

If you are interested in learning more about Les Desirables Kick Butts, please visit the program's website at https://www.desirableskickbutts.org/.