8.3: Refusal Skills Animation Video
Transcript:
Refusal Skills
Resisting pressure to begin smoking can be challenging. You may feel pressure from your friends, peers, and from the media.
Luckily, there are specific skills that can help prepare you for and respond to situations that may involve tobacco use. These refusal skills are strategies you can use to stand up to peer pressures and influences that want you to engage in unhealthy behaviors.
The best way to avoid smoking is to spend time with friends or peers who do not smoke. If your friends or family do smoke, be clear with them about your feelings toward smoking. Tell them, “No thanks, I don’t smoke.” Make sure that they know you do not want to use tobacco or be around their secondhand smoke. Ask, “Do you know what chemicals are in those? That stuff can kill you.”
Another technique is to firmly explain the reasons behind your decision. For example, you can tell them that you don’t want tobacco to ruin your skin, lose your teeth, or make your hair and clothes smell awful. Stick to your decision and refuse to give in. Your true friends will support your decision not to smoke.
Strong refusal skills help you stick to your own beliefs and values in the face of peer pressure. These skills can help you in situations when you feel pressured to try tobacco. You can tell your peers that you don’t want to become addicted and not be able to quit. Having a few practiced responses in mind can help when faced with peer pressure.
Remember that practice makes perfect. Imagine situations in which someone offers you tobacco, and then practice your responses. Play out each situation in your mind, or out loud when you are alone, so you are ready to respond firmly. With time, your refusal skills will become stronger. Eventually, you will feel confident when you tell people that you choose to stay tobacco-free.