Chew on Something Healthy

Goal:

• To raise awareness about the dangers of using chew tobacco, snus, snuff and dip and why the tobacco industry is working to get youth hooked on these smokeless but not harmless products.

Target Audience:

• All students, community at large.

Overview of Event: 

• Invite students to learn more about chew, dip, snus and snuff tobacco – the new twist on an old trick by the tobacco industry. With Ontario and many other jurisdictions going 100% smoke free, the industry is trying to get youth hooked for life by changing to smokeless products that go under the radar of 100% smoke free laws. To get students to visit the display, invite them to chew on something healthy and have free taste testing of healthy foods that help not harm the body. Include a quiz on chew tobacco and other products that they should be able to answer from your display information and have random draws for cafeteria gift certificates so they can chew on something healthy more often. Make table tent cards and posters to promote the event. You can also set up a blind taste test competition with competitor guessing foods and answering questions about tobacco use issues.

Tools Required:

• Healthy snacks that can be individually portioned – fruit, veggies, cheese
• Paper muffin cups, napkins, non-latex gloves for serving foods
• Paper, markers, etc, for making posters or tent cards
• Tables and chairs for display, taste testing and any competition
• Questions for quiz
• Information, videos, posters, brochures, etc, on chew tobacco and its effects (talk to your PHN for any resources she may have)
• Cafeteria gift certificates for participants who are randomly selected.

The Process:

1. Set up partnership with a cafeteria staff so they are aware of and support your efforts (they may be able to order the foods you want for the taste test);
2. Advertise the event well in advance;
3. Do some research on chew products and their effects and design your display;
4. The morning after, announce results of the taste test and their healthy reward;
5. Invite the media to do a story/photo of the event and if they don’t come, submit a picture and information directly to the paper via email or drop off;
6. Document results, how many students reached, impact, feedback.

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