The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living Celebrates Take Down Tobacco Day on March 31
Apr. 4, 2023
LOUISIANA - The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living (TFL)'s Next Era program is celebrating Take Down Tobacco National Day of Action, which empowers people to stand up and speak out against the tobacco industry targeting kids. Next Era participants will rally with advocates nationwide to call out Big Tobacco for marketing tobacco products to minors and to urge elected officials to take action against the tobacco epidemic. TFL and Well-Ahead Louisiana's latest Louisiana Youth Tobacco Survey, conducted in 2021, found that 63% of middle and 71% of high schoolers do not consider vapes a tobacco product, and that one in 10 students in middle school and one in four in high school currently vape. For the full survey and to learn more about youth tobacco use in Louisiana, visit www.wellaheadla.com/youth-tobacco-survey. “Take Down Tobacco Day is a critical campaign to address health inequities in our youth,” said Kenyatta Royal, TFL Youth Program Manager. “The survey reported that the main attributing factor to tobacco use in our youth is curiosity, therefore we must do all we can to redirect their interest and stand up to Big Tobacco companies. This day represents our opportunity to come together for Louisiana youth.” The following schools will be participating in Take Down Tobacco Day. Friday, March 31, 2023
Saturday, April 1, 2023, at 5 p.m.
The tobacco industry targets minors through flavored-smokeless tobacco products, which is preferred by more than half of teenage smokers. Most flavored vapes contain higher nicotine levels, leading to greater nicotine dependence. Quit With Us, LA provides cessation assistance specifically for young people through Live Vape Free, a free interactive text-based program for Louisiana residents ages 13 to 17 wishing to quit tobacco products. The interactive program can be accessed by texting “VAPEFREE” to 873373, or by visiting wearenextera.org. Next Era also promotes healthier, tobacco-free, and nicotine-free lifestyles through its statewide youth movement, The program trains students to develop state and local policy campaigns, and on public speaking skills and community mobilization. Some Next Era successes include 30+ local ordinances to create smoke-free bars and gaming venues, presentations at town hall meetings, educating school board members at school board meetings, presenting at national conferences, media coverage about Next Era work, and members serving on regional and national youth advisory boards. For additional information, please visit wearenextera.org. More information about the Youth Tobacco Survey can be found at www.wellaheadla.com/youth-tobacco-survey. ### The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living (TFL) engages in local and statewide tobacco control policy efforts that focus on tobacco prevention and initiation among youth, eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke, promote cessation services, and identify and eliminate tobacco-related disparities. TFL is guided by best practices in tobacco control and envisions a healthier Louisiana by reducing the excessive burden of tobacco use on all Louisianans. For more information visit www.tobaccofreeliving.org. To find out more about the dangers of secondhand smoke and show your support for a smoke-free Louisiana, visit www.healthierairforall.org. To learn more about quitting tobacco, visit www.quitwithusla.org. Well-Ahead Louisiana Well-Ahead Louisiana is the chronic disease prevention and healthcare access arm of the state Department of Health. Well-Ahead connects communities to tools and resources that help improve the health of Louisiana’s residents where they live, work, learn and play. For more information, visit www.wellaheadla.com. About the Louisiana Cancer Research Center (LCRC) Founded by the Louisiana State Legislature in 2002, the LCRC is a public-private partnership designed to promote education about cancer and conduct important research on the diagnosis, detection, treatment, and prevention of cancer in Louisiana. The LCRC partners with the public at large and four major cancer research institutions in Louisiana: LSU Health, Tulane University, Ochsner Health System, and Xavier University. More information about the LCRC is available at www.louisianacancercenter.org. About the Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI) LPHI is a statewide 501(c)(3) nonprofit public health institute that has proudly served the residents of Louisiana for nearly 25 years. As the public health landscape shifts and changes at an ever-quickening pace, LPHI’s role is to be both responsive to the immediate public health needs of Louisiana residents and to create an environment for long-term public health improvements. LPHI has four priority areas as part of the organization’s strategic plan, including Racial Justice and Health Equity, Partnerships and Collaboration, A Healthier Louisiana, and A Thriving Organization, and aims to help all Louisianans achieve their full potential for health and wellness. For more information, visit www.lphi.org. |