Tobacco.org

New law expands role of 51 'tobacco nurses'  

A Mississippi law that took effect July 1 expands the duties of the 51 nurses who are funded with state money and makes all of the state's estimated 390-400 school nurses answer to the Mississippi Department of Education's Office of Healthy Schools.

Providing more health education, promoting dropout prevention plans and collecting health-related data are now part of the expanded role of 51 school nurses, previously known as "tobacco nurses."

A new law that took effect July 1 broadens the responsibilities of the nurses who had done tobacco and substance abuse prevention education funded through The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi, which no longer can use money from the state's tobacco settlement.

Jump to full article »