Set Day 2020 -Tobacco Alliance Coalition of LI

SET DAY 2020 

• Reality Check youth across New York State have declared Tuesday, October 13, 2020 as the fourth annual Seen Enough Tobacco Day, which highlights the need for communities to protect children from the billions of dollars of tobacco marketing in places where kids can see it.
• The 13^th day was selected for the annual Seen Enough Tobacco Day to underscore the alarming fact that the average age of a new smoker in New York is 13 years old.
• While New York State’s recent ban on flavored e-cigarettes is a significant step toward reducing youth tobacco use, other flavored tobacco products, such as little cigars, chew and menthol cigarettes present an obstacle to decreasing tobacco use among young people and minority populations.

Reality Check is a state-wide, youth led initiative that focuses on educating and empowering youth to address the tobacco industry and their deceptive marketing practices.

Reality Check LI provides opportunities for youth to gain skills in leadership, team building, media and public speaking. The youth perspective and voice is important in creating sustainable change in our communities.

The Tobacco Action Coalition of Long Island is one of 21 Advancing Tobacco Free Communities’ grants funded by the NYS DOH’s Bureau of Tobacco Control and administered by the American Lung Association. Our grant is comprised of a community engagement and youth action component, Reality Check, who work collaboratively to promote environments open to creating a tobacco-free norm as well as educating and empowering our youth to become change agents within their communities.