No single strategy will reduce tobacco use. We have to attack this serious public health problem on all fronts in partnership with our communities.
Youth educating and supporting each other is an effective way to reduce the number of youth smokers.
Critical to building an effective and cohesive social movement against tobacco is the motivation and skills of the state's youth, Grant said. New Jersey will hold its first statewide summit in November for up to 500 teens recruited from schools and communities. At the two-day summit, youth will learn the most current information on tobacco issues and addictions, develop peer leadership and advocacy skills to be leaders in their schools and communities and lay the groundwork for a continuing statewide youth movement. The ALF grant will be used to build on the statewide youth summit through a series of regional mini-conferences to reinforce the learning and momentum of the statewide summit. The original group of some 500 teens at the statewide summit will be divided geographically into three groups.