Note: This site documents N.C.’s work on making public schools tobacco free, from 2000 until state law went into effect in 2008, and is provided as a resource for states and communities currently working to make their schools tobacco free. Factual information reflects research and data from 2000-2008.
Announcements for Communicating a 100% Tobacco-Free
School Policy at School Sporting Events
School sponsored athletic events are an opportunity for students, staff and community members to have fun, celebrate student athleticism and enjoy the excitement of competition – not be exposed to secondhand
smoke, e-cigarette aerosol, or examples of tobacco use. We encourage school district staff to use these events to remind students, staff and school supporters that the district has a 100% tobacco-free school policy in place
– one that prohibits tobacco use, including e-cigarettes, anywhere on campus, at any time, by anyone. Regular announcements at football, soccer, baseball and other athletic events are a simple and effective strategy for getting
the message across, especially when used in combination with signage and information in event brochures.
Effective Use of Announcements
Advocates and school staff provide the following suggestions for using announcements to effectively communicate a tobacco-free school policy:
- Positive, pro-health announcement : Announcements should be positive – reminding visitors that the policy exists to protect the health of students and others.
- At least four announcements : Provide at least four announcements – at the beginning of the game; end of the first quarter; half-time; and end of the third quarter – to ensure everyone
is aware of the policy.
- Youth participation : Invite youth groups to create and make the announcements.
- Support the announcements : Have prominently displayed signs and announcements in event brochures that reinforce the announcements.
Sample Announcements
Following are sample announcements for you to modify and use these at your school sponsored athletic events:
- 15 seconds: For the safety of our students, (Name of school district) is proud to have a 100% tobacco-free school policy. At this time, we would like to remind our home fans and visitors
that the use of any tobacco products during tonight’s sporting event is strictly prohibited. We appreciate your support and would like to thank you for keeping our school and stadium tobacco-free. Enjoy
the game!”
- 15 seconds: Did you know that more than 1400 nonsmokers in North Carolina will die this year due to exposure to secondhand smoke? This is one reason why all (name of school district)
schools are 100% tobacco-free. We remind our visitors and fans that smoking, vaping or chewing tobacco are prohibited on school grounds – including in and around the stadium. Thank you for your support and enjoy
the game.
- 15 seconds: If tobacco use rates among teens are not reduced, around 180,000 teenagers living today will eventually die of a tobacco-related disease. That is one reason why (name of school district) schools has a 100% tobacco-free school policy. Tobacco use of any kind, including e-cigarettes, is strictly prohibited on all school property – including in and around the stadium. Thank you for your support and for helping us help our students be tobacco-free.
- 15 seconds: Tobacco kills more than 1,200 Americans every day. 80% of them started before they were 18. This is one reason why (name of school district) schools are 100% tobacco-free. Tobacco use of any kind, including vaping, during tonight’s game is prohibited. Thank you for your support and enjoy the game.
- 30 seconds: Hey fans! Did you know that tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in North Carolina? Every year more than 14,000 people in our state die from the use of
tobacco products – more than those who die from AIDS, alcohol, traffic accidents, illegal drugs, murder and suicide combined. This is one reason why (name of school district) schools are 100% tobacco-free.
This means no tobacco use, including vaping, at any time, by anyone, anywhere on campus – including stadiums. We appreciate your support and thank you for keeping our school and stadium tobacco-free. Enjoy the game!”
