The Tobacco-Free Sports Playbook: Creating Programs for Healthier Youth, Teams, and Communities

Every day in the United States, around 3,900 youths aged 12 to 17 try their first cigarette. If current patterns continue, an estimated 6.4 million of today’s children can be expected to die prematurely during adulthood from a smoking-related disease, including heart disease; multiple cancers, including those of the lung, mouth, bladder, pharynx, and esophagus; stroke; and chronic lung disease. Nationwide, 8 percent of middle and high school students report being current users of smokeless tobacco. Smokeless tobacco use by adolescents is associated with health problems ranging from gum disease to oral cancer.

This is designed to help state and local health departments, youth coaches, teachers, and school administrators plan and implement programs to effectively communicate tobacco-free and healthy lifestyle messages to youth.