My name is Mia Vizueth, and I go to Stilwell High School. I am a member of the YAHL Leadership Team and work on the CounterAct Tobacco campaign. 

The CounterAct Tobacco campaign we have with YAHL works to remove preemption in the state of Oklahoma. This would allow individual communities to pass tobacco retail licensing laws. Ninety percent of nicotine addiction starts before the user is 18 years old. We are trying to get more people to support reducing the use of e-cigs and vapes for minors by overturning preemption and putting policies in place that take the power out of Big Tobacco’s hands and put it into ours. 

The work I have done so far for CounterAct Tobacco has been working to gain support of members in the community for the campaign goals. I presented these campaign goals to my local police department. My friend Aaliyah and I went to the Stilwell Police Department to talk about CounterAct Tobacco and the issues of vapes in schools. I think we did great and gained another supporter for our campaign! 

People should join us to help stop retailers from giving minors harmful tobacco products and to remove preemption so that communities get the power back on tobacco retail licensing.

-By: Mia Vizueth, Stilwell High School