American Lung Association of Arizona

SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco)

Over two dozen active S.W.A.T members pledge to promote healthy lifestyles and prevent tobacco use by exposing tobacco industry lies, through education, community involvement and advocacy.

Our youth members are students from all over Tucson who range in age from 12 to 18. We meet two times monthly to plan our various events which include everything from documenting stores who openly advertise tobacco products to youth to preparing and presenting tobacco prevention presentations to youth groups, schools and at health fairs. We are currently working on effective ways to get our message out about how big tobacco companies use advertising to get youth, under 15, to start smoking.

This past year our youth members put on the Arizona Youth Tobacco Masquerade Conference, “Unmasking the lies of the tobacco industry” here in Tucson. Over 100 youth from Arizona participated in the all day conference which featured speakers who have been working in the fight against tobacco.

However, we are not all work. We find plenty of time for fun and socializing with each other. We do a lot of group activities where we bond and learn the advantages of team work. This includes our annual camping trip to the White Mountains.

If you are interested being part of a youth coalition whose mission it is to educate young people about the dangers of smoking and are between the ages of 12 and 18 and go to a public school. Please contact me for more information about our meetings. You’ll have a great time and make some great new friends.

Please email us if you are interested in joining SWAT.

To download our SWAT brochure, please right-click and save. (pdf)