To provide students with tips for resisting peer pressure, this activity includes suggestions on how to say “no” to friends. It complements the “How to Say ‘No'” poster and demonstrates concrete examples of what adolescents might say if pressured to use tobacco or nicotine products.

Display the “How to Say ‘No” poster (included in the “Materials” section). Review the tips with your students. Then, share the digital activity link below.

LAUNCH ACTIVITY

Read the introduction and directions together. Note that students will see the “How to Say ‘No'” poster onscreen and can click to enlarge it in a separate window. Ask students to keep the window open so they can refer back to the poster. Then, ask students to complete the activity independently.

While students are completing the activity, list the “Ways to Say ‘No'” on the board or chart paper.

Once everyone has completed the activity, bring students together for a class discussion to review the different strategies for saying “no” to negative peer pressure. Ask students:

• Which strategies listed on the activity do you think would be easy to use if you were pressured to use tobacco or nicotine?(Tally the students’ responses next to the examples.)
• Are there ideas that you would be more comfortable using than others? (Again, mark the answers next to your list on the board or chart paper.)
• How else could you say “no” to friends who might pressure you to smoke or vape? What would you actually say in this situation?
• Are some ways to say “no” better for certain situations than others? For example, if a friend asked you to lie on his behalf, would you use the same method of saying “no” as you would if a friend asked you to use tobacco or nicotine?

Encourage students to keep this list someplace where they can refer to it periodically if they need tips for saying “no.”

This section has students look at how they act, feel, and think. Topics covered include self-esteem, social image, decision-making skills, and personal values (what is important to each student). The activities are designed to provide students with a chance to practice decision making and to empower them to make healthy choices.