Tobacco Documents Online

kmhdkK-vse of Newark100 Linden Avenue, Irvington, New Jersey 07111 201159614260 C CE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS July 26, 1990 Mrs. Janice Marshall, MSN Coordinator New Jersey Department of Health, Division of Epidemiology and Disease Control Smoking Control Program CN 369 Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0369 Dear Mrs. Marshall: In response to your letter of July 3 regarding the initiative called the American Stop Smoking Intervention Study (ASSIST) for Cancer Prevention, I wish to offer my support and encouragement. Such a statewide effort to reduce the prevalence of smoking can only improve the well-being of our citizens. Even though statistical evidence points to long term ill-effects on smokers of all ages, I am especially concerned about health damage caused to the school children of our state. Young minds are intrigued and influenced by the apparent glamour and sophistication of smoking. Therefore, I welcome the concept of "tobacco control coalitions" proposed by the New Jersey Department of Health, in partnership with the New Jersey Division of the American Cancer Society. My hope is that such groups might effectively assist our teachers in. their efforts to educate children to the dangers of smoking,. The development of pedagogically sound materials an& techniques, designed to capture the interest of young children and engage the attention of teenagers, would be most appreciated. As the Superintendent of an area serving 60,000 young people in over 200 schools, I support your attempts to reduce New Jersey's rate of tobacco related'cancers through this initiative. Sincerely, ~yu4, rother James A. Liguori, CFC, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools JAL:ctr Fax Number: (201) 596-4250,