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SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco)
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SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco)
You have the power to make an impact. Big Tobacco targets
youth, but you can fight back by joining a SWAT club.
SWAT Clubs
are youth organizations working to mobilize, educate and equip
Florida
youth to advocate against and de-glamorize the tobacco industry.
Current Initiatives:
- Comprehensive School Tobacco Policy
Although students are not allowed to use tobacco at
school, there are some school campuses where staff members and other
adults are using tobacco. Studies show that schools with
comprehensive policies
against student and adult tobacco use on campus have a lower rate of
students who use tobacco products. Sarasota County SWAT youth
support adoption of
the comprehensive policy recommended by the Florida Department of
Health at all schools throughout
Sarasota County. SWAT works with the Tobacco Free Partnership of
Sarasota County to provide tobacco-free campus signage and cessation
information to school staff members who use tobacco products.
- Flavored Tobacco Products
SWAT educates fellow young people, the public, and local
policymakers about candy- and fruit-flavored tobacco products.
The tobacco industry markets these products to kids in hopes of
replacing the more than 400,000 people who die each year in the U.S.
because of tobacco. SWAT's efforts in this area have led to
resolutions recommending against the sale of flavored tobacco
products being passed by all local governments in the county,
including the cities of North Port, Sarasota, and Venice; the town
of Longboat Key, and Sarasota County itself.
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> Flavored Tobacco:
I'm Not Buying It...
In this video, members
of SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) from Sarasota County expose
the truth about flavored tobacco products targeting youth and why they shouldn't be sold in
stores. |
- Retail Advertising
Over the years, the tobacco industry has become
increasingly limited in how they are allowed to advertise their
harmful products. Laws have been passed to restrict tobacco
advertising throughout the United States. Currently, tobacco
products are mainly advertised where they are sold - in grocery
stores, gas stations, convenience stores, liquor stores, and
specialty tobacco shops. Youth visit many of these retailers (like
grocery stores and gas stations) on a regular basis, whether they
are with friends or their parents. SWAT youth have been involved in
conducting surveys to evaluate the types and amount of tobacco
advertising being displayed at retail locations in Sarasota County.
SWAT is working toward educating community members on tobacco retail
advertising and how it targets youth.
For more information:
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