Pictured are some of the students from TEASA and Everett High School who attended the event.
On March 20, youths from Everett joined more than 200 young people from across the Commonwealth gathered at the Massachusetts State House for a Kick Butts Day event to celebrate their role in reducing the influence of the tobacco industry in their communities. Everett High School and Teens in Everett Against Substance Abuse are members of The 84 Movement, which helps mobilize youth to take action to make their communities more tobacco-free.
While at the State House, youth visited with lawmakers and participated in a speaking program with Interim Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Dr. Lauren Smith, Senator Harriette Chandler, Representative Jonathan Hecht, Representative Jason Lewis, and Representative Sean Garballey. The young people used their time with lawmakers to discuss the impact that price has on youth tobacco use: increasing the price of tobacco by $1.00 will save more than 27,000 young people from a lifetime of addiction to tobacco.
“Young people from across Massachusetts have been working diligently in their communities to educate people on the tactics Big Tobacco uses to target youth,” said Kamay Gordon, The 84 Movement Statewide Youth Leader. “We were excited to share those experiences with our lawmakers and to spread the word that raising the price by just $1 will save 27,000 of our peers from becoming addicted to tobacco.”
During the event at the State House, Maryan Abo of Everett was awarded The 84’s Regional Youth Leadership Award. Maryan was recognized for her dedicated efforts in the fight against tobacco in Northeastern Massachusetts.
The 84 is a program of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program, developed and managed in partnership with Health Resources in Action. For more information on The 84 Movement and the work being done throughout the Commonwealth to make smoking history, visit www.The84.org and www.makesmokinghistory.org.
About The 84 Movement
The 84 is a program of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program, developed and managed in partnership with Health Resources in Action.Created in 2007, The 84 Movement is a statewide youth tobacco prevention program that engages young people in local change efforts that protect communities from the influence of the tobacco industry, raise awareness of the tobacco industry’s marketing tactics, and promote the norm that most youth do not smoke. To find out more information on The 84 Movement and the work being done throughout the Commonwealth to make smoking history, visit www.The84.org and www.makesmokinghistory.org.
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