Tobacco Compliance Education Grant

Did you know...

• 21.1% (294,700) high school students smoke statewide
• 24,500 adults die from smoking
• 503,000 kids now under 18 and alive in Texas will ultimately die prematurely from smoking
• 5.83 billion annual health care costs in Texas directly related to smoking
• 13.4 billion is the annual tobacco industy marketing expenditures nationwide; 884.7 million in Texas

The Texas Comptroller's Office offers block grants to schools with on-campus law enforcement to be used to enforce Subchapter N, Chapter 161, Texas Health and Safety Code, concerning the use of tobacco products by persons who are younger than 18 years of age.

Grant funds are used exclusively for the following enforcement and compliance activities:

• prohibit anyone under 18 years of age from possessing, smoking or using tobacco products on school property or at school sanctioned events;
• provide compliance education of the tobacco laws to school age children

Fort Worth ISD received a grant for the 2009-2010 school year.  Activities planned for this grant include:

• Development of a youth-led tobacco enforcement campaign
• Distribution of tobacco enforcement information to parents through use of district resources such as EdTV, website and more
• Provide compliance education to secondary students through classroom presentations and activities
• Train campus/district staff and school based police on the tobacco laws and prevention