Hey guys, I'm Layla, and I’m a junior at Adair High School. I have lived in Adair almost my whole life, and I joined the YAHL program to help out my community and school. 

YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership. The main goal is to help the youth in Oklahoma live a healthier lifestyle through our two policy change campaigns: CounterAct Tobacco and Elevate Student Health. Today, I will be talking about CounterAct Tobacco and what I have done to help.

With CounterAct Tobacco, my peers and I collect surveys that provide us data on how members of our community think and feel about tobacco use and the need for comprehensive tobacco retail licensing. The data we collect from each survey is used to advocate for change when speaking with our legislators and provides them with physical evidence about how the community feels about tobacco policy. We want to move the power out of Big Tobacco’s hands and into ours.

I have personally collected surveys from members in my community. An example of this was when my friend and I, Kane Hinton, did a partner presentation to the Pryor Rotary Club. We collected surveys from the group and asked for their support for the campaign. This was my first ever presentation for CounterAct Tobacco, and although it was very nerve-wracking, it was also very rewarding when we got positive feedback and a new partner sign-on form completed! 

People should support CounterAct Tobacco to support not selling vapes and other products alike to minors, and to make the adults who sell them to minors accountable for their wrongdoings. 

We hope to have you help us stand up for Oklahoma youth and health! 

By: Layla Kearn, Adair High School