My name is Adiah Duncan, I am a sophomore at Tishomingo High School, and this is my first year being a member of YAHL (Youth Action for Health Leadership). YAHL is dedicated to helping youth influence the future for the better, focusing on erasing tobacco addiction and obesity. The campaign “Counteract Tobacco” focuses on tobacco addiction among youth and the need for improvement of tobacco retail licensing laws in the state of Oklahoma.

The presentation is a way to build support within the community and to educate people on what they may not know about tobacco retail licensing and how to try to prevent as many deaths as possible. On March 1st, I presented to the Tishomingo Development Team at Murray State College. I enjoyed meeting new people and connecting with my community, plus the food was amazing! I was very nervous to speak in front of a crowd, but it soon melted away. I took a lot of notes to prepare myself for the Counteract Tobacco presentation.

Counteract Tobacco is an amazing experience, especially for those who struggle with taking a step out of their comfort zone. Success follows when people are willing to reach out of their comfort zones. One of my struggles is public speaking, so this was a great opportunity to try something new. I would rather take this opportunity than to regret not doing it in the future. I want to think back and say, “I’ve done the best of my abilities.” I am thankful I took the time to present because now I am better prepared through my experience with Counteract Tobacco. I want to be the best me I can be and this definitely took me one more step towards that goal.

By: Adiah Duncan, YAHL Member

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