4.1.3. Prevention Education: The tobacco control policy should reference, at a minimum, required K-12 tobacco prevention education as outlined in the following:

• a. State Board of Education Policy 2520, Health Education; and

• b. Safe and Drug-Free Schools guidelines

All West Virginia teachers are responsible for classroom instruction that integrates content Standard, learning skills, and technology. The goal of sixth grade health education program of study is to address many important social, emotional and physical changes of young adolescents. Decision making steps and application are integrated into all topics of discussion as students examine potential long and short term consequences of decisions and their impact on all aspects of health (e.g., physical, emotional, social, mental/intellectual, spiritual, environmental and occupational). Students critically examine concepts related to personal health; injury prevention; and alcohol, tobacco and other drugs; and recognize the impact of positive health decisions on personal goal attainment.

(a) In order for the schools to become healthy learning environments and to provide a strong defense against drug use and violence, the State Board of Education shall prescribe programs within the existing health and physical education program which teach resistance and life skills to counteract societal and peer pressure to use drugs, alcohol and tobacco,and shall include counselors, teachers and staff in full implementation of the program. The board shall also prescribe programs to coordinate violence reduction efforts in schools and between schools and their communities and to train students, teachers, counselors and staff in conflict resolution skills. The program shall be comprehensive, interdisciplinary and shall begin in elementary school.

The state board shall cause to be taught in all of the public schools of this state the subject of health education, including instruction in any of the grades six through twelve as considered appropriate by the county board, on: (1) The prevention,transmission and spread of acquired immune deficiency syndrome and other sexually transmitted diseases; (2) substance abuse, including the nature of alcoholic drinks and narcotics, tobacco products and other potentially harmful drugs, with special instruction as to their effect upon the human system and upon society in general; (3) the importance of healthy eating and physical activity to maintaining healthy weight; and (4) education concerning cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid, including instruction in the care for conscious choking, and recognition of symptoms of drug or alcohol overdose. The course curriculum requirements and materials for the instruction shall be adopted by the state board by rule in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Resources. The state board shall prescribe a standardized health education assessment to be administered within health education classes to measure student health knowledge and program effectiveness.