The San Diego County Office of Education will receive $22,500 in state funds to enforce tobacco-free school policies and collect data on the prevalence of tobacco use and other behaviors that put students' health at risk.
More than $410,000 in Tobacco Use Prevention Education dollars from the state Department of Education went to 30 districts across California.
The winners in TUPE competitive bidding demonstrated the greatest tobacco-use prevention efforts, and proposed programs that will likely be effective, said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.
"Schools can help our kids learn to avoid dangerous behaviors -- including tobacco use—early," Torlakson said.
TUPE is a three-year, $16.5 million competitive state grant program to teach youth in grades six through 12 about how to prevent and reduce the use of tobacco. Torlakson cited a Centers for Disease Control report that tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of disease, disability and death.
-City News Service
