TxSSC
Texas E-Cigarette and Tobacco Awareness Program
The Texas E-Cigarette and Tobacco Awareness Program is the state's official vaping (e-cigarette) and tobacco awareness program that provides online educational courses for students, educators, and other adults. The student courses are available for grades 6-12 as well as young adults and feature a Referral Course and a Prevention Course. Educators who work in grades K-12 as well as 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities can complete the Educator Course.
The program is funded by the Texas Department of State Health Services through a contract with the Texas School Safety Center. For questions about the program, please contact staff at txssc_etap@txstate.edu.
About the Courses:
Student and educator courses are available for FREE. The courses may take 3-4 hours to complete and includes engaging content, such as:
- Videos
- Activities
- Short-answer reflection questions
- Mini quizzes
- A downloadable workbook with activities and resources
The courses also includes assessments, evaluations, and an emailed certificate of completion. The certificate of completion will be emailed to the learner.
The Referral Course is intended for individuals under the age of 21 who are cited for possession of tobacco products, including vapes. This online course meets the requirements of Section 161.253, Texas Health and Safety Code.
Accessing the Courses:
All courses can be accessed on a computer or smart device. Learners will need to create a user account before beginning a course. Once an account is created, the learner will be able to log in and out of the training using the same link.
STUDENT COURSES
The Referral Course is designed for students under 21 years of age who are cited for possession of tobacco products including vapes. This course is intended for students who are referred through their school or the courts.
As an alternative to punitive measures, such as school suspension or Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP), schools may, at their discretion, refer students in possession of tobacco products to complete this course. Schools are also strongly encouraged to require students who have been referred to In-School Suspension (ISS) as a result of their tobacco/vaping use to complete the course so they may better understand why they use it and be motivated to consider quitting.
For students completing this course because they were referred by a court, this online course meets the requirements of Section 161.253, Texas Health and Safety Code.
The Prevention Course is designed for students in grades 6-12 who are interested in learning about the harmful health effects of vapes and other tobacco products, how the tobacco industry markets their products to young people, and how young people can build a vape free, tobacco free culture in their school.
Students can complete this course on their own or schools can require students to complete the training as part of their vaping/tobacco prevention education efforts.
EDUCATOR COURSE
The Educator Course is designed for school administrators, teachers, and other school staff who are who are interested in learning about the harmful health effects of vapes and other tobacco products, how the tobacco industry markets their products to young people, how to recognize the signs of tobacco and nicotine use, and how educators can best support students who may struggling with a nicotine addiction
Educators who work in grades K-12 as well as 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities can complete this course.
For questions about the Texas E-Cigarette and Tobacco Awareness Program, please contact staff at txssc_etap@txstate.edu.