Preventing tobacco use by mobilizing youth: Stopping the generation's curse of tobacco use

Mobilizing youth and educating them on the dangers and health risks associated with tobacco use will enable the community at large to stop the generation's curse of tobacco use. Our aim is to use the youth as "change agents" and teach them how to eradicate tobacco use. In addition to educating youth on tobacco prevention strategies, we will train them to become ambassadors. Listed below are the strategies and activities that will be used to mobilize the youth: 1) Coordinate an annual Tobacco Free Youth Summit and educate the youth on these subjects: Tobacco 101, How to advocate for 100% Tobacco Free Schools, Youth Power: What Does It Mean to be a Youth Advocate?, Media Advocacy Training: Promoting your movement, and Emerging Tobacco Products. 2) Partner with Toastmasters International (world renown public speaking organization) and enlist their public speaking techniques - youth will be trained on public speaking, facial expressions, and hand gestures. 3) Partner with the Georgia Department of Human Resources and enlist their training - youth will be taught the tobacco free jargon and language. 4) Coordinate meetings with the Board of Education, youth agencies, and adult groups and ask them to invite the tobacco control youth ambassadors to give 100% tobacco free presentations. The objective of these presentations is to convince the aforementioned to adopt 100% tobacco free policies.