Adolescent Tobacco Use Awareness and Cessation Program (ATCP )

ATCP is designed to develop, evaluate and disseminate effective cessation programming in conjunction with Texas legislation. The program began in 1996 with funding from the Texas Cancer Council to develop a voluntary smoking cessation program directed at adolescents in Texas. It has evolved into the state program into which youth who have been ticketed for tobacco purchase, possession or use are directed by the state. Facilitators who are trained to work with adolescents provide information about tobacco as well as ways to help them quit when they choose to do so. Sessions combine information about health effects of tobacco, tobacco advertising and manipulation, etc. with activities designed to prompt participants to begin evaluating their motivations for tobacco use, environmental influences on tobacco use, psychosocial triggers to tobacco use, perceived barriers to cessation, etc. ATCP serves around 5,000 adolescent smokers in Texas (ages 13-18) per year.

Experience from the first edition of the curriculum has demonstrated that the program can be successfully implemented in a variety of community settings. Initial data indicate encouraging results. In one sample, 30 percent of youth reported that they were tobacco-free six months after taking the program. These data are being validated through other biochemical measures and will be presented in the future. Other findings have demonstrated significant differences in tobacco use patterns, levels of dependence, and future intentions related to tobacco use based upon the primary use motivations of the youth. Significant numbers of youth are using tobacco as a primary means of self-medicating negative moods, complicating the picture of the “typical” adolescent who uses tobacco. The maximum allowable group size is 20 individuals, although the most effective facilitators have kept their group sizes at 10 to 12.

Available resources:

20-minute video featuring MTV ’s Piggy Thomas designed to reinforce class material using adolescents discussing the issue in “real life” terms.

Partners: Texas Department of Health
University of Houston

For More Information about ATCP , please contact:
hsccommatcp@tamushsc.edu