Engaging youth in point of sale tobacco control advocacy

Issues: The 2012 U.S. Surgeon General's Report offers evidence supporting a causal link between tobacco advertising at the point of sale (POS) and the initiation and continuation of smoking among youth. CounterTobacco.org has created innovative Youth Engagement Activities, pre-packaged lesson plans that engage youth in advocating for reduced point of sale tobacco marketing. Description: A Walking Tobacco Audit was created to highlight the number of tobacco advertisements at retail establishments on students' routes to school. The activity was pilot tested in partnership with a tobacco youth advocacy group who counted 48 exterior advertisements within a four block radius of a local elementary school. Following the audit, youth worked together to develop a visual display of their observations to be presented to local politicians, teachers, and parents. Lessons Learned: POS marketing was shown to be prevalent throughout the audit. The considerable number of advertisements underscored the importance of tobacco control advocacy at the POS, particularly as it relates to youth exposure. Recommendations: Youth are important partners in tobacco control advocacy. Youth Engagement Activities equip them to advocate for stricter tobacco control policies. A standardized process of developing these activities will increase their use, engage more youth, and lead to a decrease in POS tobacco marketing.