My name is Montana Haney. I'm very passionate about the CounterAct Tobacco campaign and have worked with my classmate, Haley, to present and talk about it with others. CounterAct Tobacco aims to remove preemption, so communities can make their own tobacco retail licensing policies. This would make it harder for minors to get nicotine and tobacco products in their communities. 

My passion for the CounterAct Tobacco campaign comes from my own experiences. Growing up, my mom smoked and had heart problems, making it harder for her to recover. We also lost my grandma. She stopped breathing, and since she started smoking at a very young age, it made it harder for her to recover as well. 

In my school and community, CounterAct Tobacco opportunities take place at community events, organizations and council meetings to spread awareness. I did a partner presentation with Haley to the Kiwanis and Lions Club in our town, and it went very well. They asked a lot of questions about our experiences with the huge influence of vaping and made connections with us, by telling us their stories about tobacco when they were in school. 

People should support CounterAct Tobacco because these tobacco products are dangerous for not only the youth, but all Oklahomans. I don’t feel like Oklahomans are thinking about the future and long-term effects of tobacco that could cause many harmful problems. Thank you for taking your time to read over this and showing your support for the CounterAct Tobacco campaign.

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By: Montana Haney, Ninnekah High School