Sachit Gali, 17, of Sarasota, FL, has been named a Youth Advocate of the Year by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
WASHINGTON, May 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sachit Gali, 17, of Sarasota, FL, has been named a Youth Advocate of the Year by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Sachit was honored for his leadership in the fight against tobacco last night in Washington, D.C.
Sachit has become a leading voice for tobacco control in Florida, speaking with policymakers to advocate for tobacco-free school policies, tobacco retailer licensing, raising the tobacco age to 21 and banning the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. He was also the national youth spokesperson for the 2019 Kick Butts Day media tour that aired on more than 400 stations across the country.
“We are thrilled to honor Sachit Gali as a Youth Advocate of the Year,” said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “Young leaders like Sachit are inspiring their peers to be tobacco-free by standing up to the tobacco industry – while also urging elected officials to take action to help create the first tobacco-free generation.”
Sachit and other youth advocates from across the country were honored at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids’ annual awards gala last night in Washington, DC. The winners received scholarships to continue their tobacco prevention efforts and will serve as youth ambassadors for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
Tobacco use is the No. 1 cause of preventable death in the United States, killing over 480,000 Americans and costing the nation $170 billion in health care bills each year. Tobacco kills 7 million people worldwide each year.
In Florida, tobacco use claims 32,300 lives and costs over $8.6 billion in health care bills each year. Currently, 3.6% of Florida’s high school students smoke and 24.8% use e-cigarettes.
Additional information about the youth award winners and the toll of tobacco can be found at www.tobaccofreekids.org.
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SOURCE Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids