Schools
County Office of Education Receives Anti-Tobacco Funds
Office wins competitive bid that was part of state-wide program.
The Los Angeles County Office of Education will receive $40,500 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, state officials announced today.
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.
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"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.