In 1988, Jeffrey Cain, MD, met Glenna Pember during a meeting of the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Colorado. Dr. Cain was chief resident of the Mercy Family Medicine Residency Program in Denver and an active member of the local chapter of Doctors Ought to Care (DOC). Ms. Pember was a health educator at the Hall of Life, a division of the Denver Museum of Natural History. Together, they launched a project to prevent adolescent tobacco addiction and help fifth-grade students understand the tactics employed by tobacco companies to persuade them to use tobacco products.
During its first year in operation, the newly-formed Tar Wars program reached more than 7,000 children in Denver. In its second year, the program was offered to schools throughout Colorado with the support of the Colorado Academy of Family Physicians and St. Anthony Health Corporation.
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) endorsed Tar Wars as a national program in 1993. This collaborative effort was instrumental in promoting Tar Wars to AAFP members locally, nationally, and internationally. With representation from throughout the United States, a national board was formed the same year to help expand the program’s effectiveness, goals, and vision. In 1995, formal, non-profit 501(c)(3) status was granted.
In June 1997, the AAFP signed a license agreement with national Tar Wars to operate the program for the next four years. Tar Wars continued to grow and succeed. An estimated 335,000 children were reached during the 1998-1999 academic year, and more than 400,000 children were reached during the 1999-2000 academic year. Although the program’s growth has been aggressive, Tar Wars continues to focus on quality, educational value, and an interactive approach to making healthy lifestyle choices.
Since the development of Tar Wars in 1988, the program has been implemented in all 50 states as well as internationally and has reached more than 8 million children worldwide, with volunteer presenters delivering the Tar Wars message to students.
In June 2000, the AAFP acquired full ownership and operation of the Tar Wars program. Tar Wars staff at the national office, located at AAFP headquarters in Leawood, Kansas, provide support to approximately 90 state/regional coordinators who implement Tar Wars in their areas.
