OBJECTIVES
To prevent children from using tobacco products.
To effectively encourage cessation.
To educate pregnant women and women with small children about the consequences of using tobacco products.
To change social perceptions and policy.

PRIMARY TARGET POPULATION
School Aged Youth
Pregnant Women & Women with Young Children
Current Tobacco Users

METHODS
MEDIA -- Dandy can be seen promoting his message on the Big Screen at the Sierra and Uptown Cinemas in Susanville. He also places ads on radio, has a 15-foot cold air balloon of himself, which contains an area to place tobacco use reduction or promotional messages, and places ads in the local newspaper.
COMMUNITY EVENTS -- Dandy is involved in community events, presentations and special appearances where he spreads his tobacco use reduction message.
DANDY FAN CLUB -- Dandy has his own fan club which anyone who is interested may join by signing the following pledge:

I ________________, know that tobacco is unhealthy and pledge to remain or become tobacco free and encourage my friends and family to never use tobacco.

In return for this pledge, all members receive a membership card, door hanger, button, and autographed picture of Dandy. They are also contacted throughout the year in order to give them educational updates and allow them to participate in tobacco use reduction events.

EVALUATION
The program has an innovative evaluation mechanism built into the program. Specifically, the development of the fan club allows us to remain in contact with individuals and carry out long term follow up to the program in order to assess change within the community. An evaluation has been conducted assessing the effectiveness of the program. This evaluation assessed the effects of the Dandy program on attitudes, beliefs and behaviors of kids who have been exposed to the program for the last ten years. The evaluation found the program to be an effective tool. For detailed information view the “DandyEvaluation.pdf” in the documents section.

RESULTS
Dandy the Smokeless Dragon has been received by the community with great support. He has made the community in general more aware of the tobacco problem as well as what our program has to offer. At present time, we have over 5,000 fan club members who have pledged to remain or become tobacco free, and this number is growing every day. Dandy the Smokeless Dragon has become an anti-tobacco icon who is readily identified and placed with his anti-tobacco message throughout Lassen County. This program has been duplicated throughout northern California.

For more information please contact:
Lassen Diversified Management, Inc.
1345 Paul Bunyan Rd., Suite B
Susanville, CA 96130
(530) 251-8357
or send an email to info@dandydragon.org