In this poll

of parents of six- to 17-year-old children, nearly 55 percent said they

were "very" (31.8 percent) to "somewhat" (23 percent)

concerned that their children might try smoking now or sometime in the

future.

And parents

overwhelmingly believe that schools can play a major role in making their

children aware of the nature and danger of nicotine addiction. More than

90 percent of the parents surveyed said they believed schools should be

involved and almost two-thirds of respondents said they believe schools

should be "very involved" and that nicotine addiction education

should be part of classroom curriculum.

"Although

smoking in the adult population has remained steady, it has actually has

been increasing among teens and preteens, which explains why parents in

our survey are concerned about their children," says Mary Jurmain,

CEO and president of BTIO Educational Products, Inc.

"The 2001

Surgeon General's Report on Women and Smoking, for example, shows that

30 percent of high school girls reported smoking in the month that study

was conducted," Jurmain says. "This is very significant because

nearly all women smokers begin in high school. The frightening connection

is that 68,000 women now die each year from lung cancer, 50 percent more

than die of breast cancer."

Jurmain contends

that interactive educational tools are needed so children can discover

the price smokers pay in terms of nicotine addiction. Tests have shown

that students remember only 10 percent of what they read and 20 percent

of what they hear, but almost 90 percent if they are involved personally,

even if only in a simulation like the NICoteen program.

"It's

been clearly demonstrated that having adults preach to them about the

dangers of smoking doesn't cause children to avoid smoking," Jurmain

adds.

This school

year, the NICoteen Program will be introduced in classrooms across the

United States. The research-based program applies several behavioral theories

and meets the CDC's Guidelines for School Health Programs to Prevent Tobacco

Use and Addiction. In addition, several researchers are starting projects

to assess its impact on youth who use it.

"If we

are going to stop the increase in teen smoking, we have to let our children

learn for themselves, in a safe, simulated way, the enormous, often lifelong

price they may pay for nicotine addiction," says Jurmain, who, with

her husband Rick, also invented the successful Baby Think It Over Program

that gives teens simulated lessons about the burdens and pressures of

caring for an infant.

For more information

about the NICoteen Program and how it can be introduced to your child's

school or classroom, call 800-830-1416 or visit the NICoteen Web site

at www.nicoteen.com .

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