How Youth Can Advance Tobacco Prevention Policy Change: The 84 Movement in Massachusetts

The 84 Movement, a project funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and managed by Health Resources in Action, is a unique, youth-led statewide tobacco prevention movement. This movement is built through community and school based “84 Chapters,” which are youth groups that support local and statewide tobacco prevention and policy change efforts, and promote the positive social norm that most youth do not smoke. Youth in The 84 Movement have been leading tobacco prevention policy change initiatives in their communities since 2005. In 2009, youth in Boston revised a local signage ordinance to limit tobacco advertising in retail stores and passed a regulation banning tobacco sales in pharmacies in partnership with the city's health department. Currently, youth across the state are conducting environmental research on the availability of other tobacco products and exposure to tobacco advertising in retail stores in order to assess the influence of Big Tobacco upon their communities, peers and younger children. Youth will then present their findings to community stakeholder groups and work with them to identify viable policy change opportunities to promote healthier and more tobacco-free communities. This session will propose methods to effectively and creatively engage youth in tobacco prevention policy change efforts and foster youth advocacy to ultimately build a statewide youth tobacco prevention movement.