Oklahoma teens participate in a National Day of Action to educate their communities about tobacco products and the tobacco industry
High school youth throughout Oklahoma working on the CounterAct Tobacco campaign collected photo pledges at 37 Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) partner schools and organizations for Take Down Tobacco Day between April 1 and April 8, 2025. Members of YAHL, a program of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, educated adults on the need for comprehensive tobacco retail taxation and licensing and asked them to complete a photo pledge explaining why they stand against Big Tobacco.
Take Down Tobacco Day is a youth-led initiative established by the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. This National Day of Action is designed to bring communities together and advocate for a tobacco-free future. YAHL partner schools have participated in Take Down Tobacco Day for five straight years as it has become a great opportunity for youth members to get involved, support a nationwide event and speak out against Big Tobacco.
“I had a great time getting to talk to people around my school and hearing their stories about how tobacco use has affected their life or someone they know. We talked to teachers, campus police officers, principals, and cafeteria staff about who we are, what we do, and how they can help, and had people write down why they support CounterAct Tobacco and take photos. This was very important to me because I want my community to see the deeper issues tobacco causes and how their support can help educate others,” said Candy Medina, a junior at Putnam City West High School.
Despite recent progress to reduce tobacco use, tobacco is still the number one cause of preventable death, killing half a million Americans and more than eight million people worldwide every year. According to the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey, over 1.6 million kids in the U.S. were current e-cigarette users and 88 percent of them used flavored products.
“It was really interesting to see everyone’s different reasons for supporting the campaign—some people talked about protecting their health, others mentioned family members affected by tobacco, and some wanted to stand against how teens are targeted. My favorite part was reading the pledges and seeing how many people genuinely cared. It reminded me that even small actions, like sharing your reason, can help build awareness and make a difference,” said Audrina Baker, a senior at Classen School of Advanced Studies High School.
Participation in Take Down Tobacco Day ensures youth voices are heard and empowers them to educate their communities about the dangers and deceptive marketing tactics of Big Tobacco.
CounterAct Tobacco is an initiative working to move the power out of Big Tobacco's hands and into ours through statewide comprehensive tobacco retail licensing. It is funded by the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET). For more information, visit www.CounterActTobacco.com.
Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL), a program of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), is a statewide youth-led initiative that partners with schools and organizations to make a meaningful and measurable impact on Oklahoma by promoting healthy behaviors. For more information, visit www.YAHLOK.org.
The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) serves as a partner and bridge builder for organizations shaping a healthier future for all Oklahomans. TSET provides leadership at the intersections of health by working with local coalitions and initiatives across the state, cultivating innovative and life-changing research and working across public and private sectors to develop, support, implement and evaluate creative strategies to take advantage of emerging opportunities to improve the public’s health. TSET - Better Lives Through Better Health. To learn more, go to www.oklahoma.gov/TSET.
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