Tobacco Bus Day 2: Docents – Dillon Galarza, Maria Lopez Garcia, Leslie Pizzano, Sarai Vargas, Jennifer Vega, Alistina Vasquez (Phu Pham, RN & George Arce, Public Health Educator)

Tobacco Bus Day 1: Docents – Jenessa Barraza, Dalton Data, Joe Giunta, Anthony Morales, Alexis Roldan, Michael Thompson (Phu Pham, RN & George Arce, Public Health Educator)

The Tobacco Bus of Horrors is provided through Ventura County Public Health Tobacco Education to our 6th graders in Ventura County. Phu Pam, RN and George Arce, Public Health Educator coordinate with FMS School Counselor, Ronda Reyes-Deutsch to share the horrors of tobacco use! And even though the County funding keeps shriveling up (Last year permitted to drive 6,000 miles and this year down to only 1,000 miles), they still keep coming back to Fillmore Middle School.

The Tobacco Bus of “Horrors” objective is to prevent future tragedies such as mouth and throat cancer, lung cancer, emphysema and even death!

All the 6th graders get to participate in the tours led by their peers. (6th grade docents are trained the morning of the tour.) The converted 1980’s school bus has been hand-painted with pictures that tell stories on the outside and on the inside all students get to walk through the mouth of a smoker! “Pretty gross!”
This program supports our youth making positive/healthy choices in their lives and how to use this information to help their family members who may already be addicted to the nicotine. There are over 4,000 chemicals in a cigarette. Some of those chemicals are poisonous such as arsenic, insecticides, formaldehyde and of course the by-product of smoke, carbon-monoxide.

Here are three important phone numbers that are shared during the Tobacco Bus tour: 800-5-ASK-4-ID. If someone sees a store clerk selling to a minor, they can make an anonymous call to report the illegal sale of tobacco (cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco).

800-NO-BUTTS. This is the California Smokers Help Line which is a free service to help people quit smoking.
201-STOP. The Ventura County Public Health offers free classes to anyone in Ventura County to help them stop smoking. They also provide “free” nicotine patches to help those going through withdrawals.

Tour Dates: Tuesday, March 8th and Wednesday, March 9th 2011

Thank you Tobacco Bus of Horrors!