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Students Working Against Tobacco

Students Working Against Tobacco

Florida's Anti Tobacco Youth Advocacy Organization

Our Mission

 

SWAT is Florida's statewide youth organization working to mobilize, educate and equip Florida youth to revolt against and de-glamorize Big Tobacco.  We are a united movement of empowered youth working towards a tobacco free future.

 

 

Our History

  • On August 25, 1997, the State of Florida negotiated a historic agreement to settle a lawsuit and avoid trial with the tobacco industry.  The late Governor Lawton Chiles and the State of Florida sued the tobacco industry due to increasing Medicaid expenses caused by tobacco related diseases among Floridians.  The nationally and internationally renowned SWAT Program was a major outcome of the lawsuit.  Youth throughout the State of Florida have joined together in a relentless fight against the tobacco industry and its manipulation and targeting of youth to use their product.  Learn about SWAT on www.gen-swat.comOpens in new window.
    • CDC Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs (2007) recommends statewide programs to provide the skills, resources and information needed for coordinated strategic implementation of community programs to include youth prevention and community partnerships.  Statewide programs like SWAT can be used to mobilize local programs throughout the state to work in tandem on campaigns that change social norms and promote policy for tobacco prevention and control.
    • The goals of SWAT are to prevent and reduce tobacco use among youth and to protect youth from secondhand smoke.  Youth have been the target of this program because 89% of adult daily smokers began smoking before the age of 18.

    • Amount tobacco industry spends each year to market their products in Florida (more than in any other state in the nation) --

    $969 Million

    • Number of youth in Florida who become regular smokers everyday --

    72

    • Number of youth alive today who will die prematurely from smoking --

    369,000

     Proven Successes

    • SWAT chapters can be found in schools and communities throughout the State of Florida.  Youth in SWAT are engaged in activities that educate their peers and policy makers about the need to change social norms related to tobacco.
    • Since SWAT began in 1998, youth who have ever tried cigarettes has decreased by 58.7% among middle school students and 44.3% among high school students.
    • SWAT is committed to developing leadership skills in youth through training in tobacco issues, media literacy, policy development process, presentation skills, and evaluation. Through empowering the youth of SWAT and providing leadership opportunities on the state and local levels, it builds the capacity of its advocates to enable environmental and policy change.