Tobacco & Vaping Prevention Education

The Napa County Office of Education collaborates with community organizations across the valley to address youth tobacco and substance use. In response to the county’s higher than average substance use rates, partners meet regularly to coordinate efforts and streamline services. This ongoing collaboration has strengthened partnerships and enhanced the impact and accessibility of prevention
and intervention services for youth throughout the county.

• Aldea Children & Family Services (external website, new window)
• Up Valley Family Centers (external website, new window)
• Friday Night Live (external website, new window)
• Napa County Health & Human Services (external website, new window)
• TFN Tobacco Free Napa Coalition (external website, new window)
• NOSC Napa Opioid Safety Coalition (external website, new window)

NCOE’s Youth Development Strategies ignite student leadership, strengthen resiliency, and inspire deeper connections within the community. These dynamic strategies empower youth through Peer-to-Peer Education, Anti-Tobacco Advocacy, and Youth Media Production, putting students at the center of positive change.

Through NCOE’s Prevention, Health & Wellness Youth Development programs, Mariposa & Bridging Brothers (new window) strengthen their alliance and advocacy groups to engage other peers. These students receive hands-on training from staff in substance use prevention, including tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. They take the lead in creating and delivering impactful school-wide campaigns such as Red Ribbon Week, Take Down Tobacco, Alcohol Awareness Month, Healthy Relationships Month/Anti-Bullying, and Mental Health Awareness Month. Youth also dive into media literacy, uncovering deceptive marketing tactics and producing powerful peer -to-peer campaigns that educate and inspire their classmates to make healthy choices.

Each April, students across Napa County will lead Take Down Tobacco events at their middle and high schools, with youth leaders from existing student groups taking the lead. These youth-led efforts aim to expose the tactics of Big Tobacco and advocate against the industry’s targeting of young people as “replacement users.” The tobacco industry deliberately markets its products to youth. Our initiative empowers students to promote healthy lifestyles, offer positive coping alternatives, and educate peers on the risks of tobacco and vaping. Through our #YouthAgainstVaping & #TakeDownTobacco hash tag during the campaign and social media outreach, Napa youth reclaim their power by sharing their why we Take Down Tobacco”.

Learn more at Take Down Tobacco.

The Napa County Office of Education is the technical assistance coordinator for the statewide Tobacco-Use Prevention Education (TUPE) Program. This grant provides funds to local education agencies for tobacco use prevention, intervention, and cessation programs. The Napa County Office of Education ensures that every middle and high school class receives critical information about making healthy lifestyle choices and avoiding the use of tobacco and other substances.

Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkit’s “You and Me, Together Vape-Free” – TUPE Sessions

The Napa County office of Education equips prevention staff, teachers or others trained by the Curriculum Specialist, to deliver this free curriculum to Napa County students in grades 6th, 8th and 10th grades. The program structure has been modified to address all 6 lessons in a total of 3 sessions.

Key Educational Strategies:

• (SEL) Social emotional Learning session with trained staff
• Large Group discussions
• Addressing key factors in youth e-cigarette use by correcting misperceptions
• Strengthening refusal skills against marketing and peer influence
• Reducing stress and depression
• Improving coping
• Lowering both intention and use of e-cigarette products

Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkits

The NCOE TUPE program also utilizes the theory-based and evidence-informed Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkit and Marijuana Prevention and Awareness toolkit in our classrooms. These programs provide current information to address vaping, smokeless tobacco, and hookah use.

• Stanford Tobacco and Marijuana Toolkit (external website, new window)
• NCOE Tobacco Parent Education Video – ENGLISH (external website, new window)
• NCOE Tobacco Parent Education Video – SPANISH (external website, new window)

Napa County Office of Education works closely with school districts throughout the county to develop tailored tobacco and vaping protocols as part of the Tobacco-Use Prevention Education Program.

Intervention Support

Cessation Support

Project Ex Tobacco Cessation Training
The TUPE Program collaborates with Aldea Children & Family Services to implement Project Ex, a free, evidence-based tobacco and vaping cessation program for youth ages 14–19.

This program is designed for students at higher risk of nicotine dependence and is available through both referral and self-referral. Project Ex consists of eight structured sessions, each lasting 40–45 minutes, delivered over a six-week period. The program provides youth with practical strategies to quit, manage withdrawal symptoms, and develop the skills needed to remain tobacco-free.

Students who have used tobacco or vaping products in the past 30 days are eligible to participate. Notably, participants are not required to quit until sessions 4–6, ensuring a supportive and realistic approach to cessation. Early intervention is critical, as young tobacco users are more likely to continue to use into adulthood.

Register for the Teen Cessation Program

Smoking/Vaping & Coronavirus (COVID-19)