WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Right Decisions Right Now: Be Tobacco Free (RDRN), a free, evidence-based youth tobacco prevention program funded by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., has made major enhancements to its website, www.rightdecisionsrightnow.com, offering a more user-friendly experience for educators, parents and community groups.
“Any teacher, parent, coach or youth leader can access this successful online program free of charge, and now we’ve made it both easier to navigate and more intuitive with our redesign of the website,” said Steve Curl, a public-policy director involved in efforts to help prevent youth tobacco use on behalf of R.J. Reynolds.
The program provides the tools educators need to convey a strong anti-tobacco message to students in grades five through nine. The program also provides valuable information and tools to parents, grandparents and community leaders.
“We believe that programs like RDRN have had a big impact in reducing teen smoking, but more can and should be done,” Curl said. “RDRN is a key part of our company’s long-term initiative to transform the tobacco industry.”
The RDRN program and supplementary educational materials such as videos and posters can be downloaded from the website to computers, smart boards and mobile devices, and are used to teach middle-school students about the risks of using tobacco products. The program is designed to empower students to make good decisions, including the decision not to use any form of tobacco, and to give them the knowledge to live a healthy lifestyle.
More than 20,000 middle schools across the country have used the RDRN program since it was independently developed more than 20 years ago. Community groups such as Boy Scouts of America; Big Brothers, Big Sisters; and the Crosby Scholars Program also use the program.
The program has been tested nationally and found to be successful on two key measures: Smoking levels decreased significantly in test schools, particularly for grades eight and nine; and the program lowered anticipated tobacco use among middle school-aged students. Additionally, students’ susceptibility to peer pressure and their perception of the popularity of tobacco-using peers both showed significant declines versus control groups.
Free materials provided through the RDRN program include teacher and parent guides, as well as interactive activities that give students factual information about tobacco prevention that they can reference when completing subsequent lessons. All of the guides are available on the website: www.rightdecisionsrightnow.com.
Reynolds American Inc. is the parent company of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.; Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co. Inc.; American Snuff Co. LLC; Niconovum USA Inc.; Niconovum AB; and R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co.
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco's brands include Newport, Camel and Pall Mall cigarettes; American Snuff's brands include Grizzly and Kodiak smokeless tobacco products; Santa Fe Natural Tobacco manufactures and markets Natural American Spirit 100% additive-free natural tobacco products, including styles made with organic tobacco; Niconovum USA and Niconovum AB market nicotine replacement therapy products in the United States and Sweden, respectively, under the Zonnic brand name; and R.J. Reynolds Vapor manufactures and markets Vuse electronic cigarettes.
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