Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Honors Grace Plowman of Shoreview, MN As Youth Advocate of the Year

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Sep 27, 2021, 13:53 ET

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Grace Plowman, of Shoreview, MN, has been named a Youth Advocate of the Year by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Grace will be honored on September 29, 2021, for her leadership in the fight against tobacco at the Tobacco-Free Kids' annual Youth Advocates of the Year Awards celebration, which is being held virtually this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The event will be livestreamed at tobaccofreekids.org/strongvoices at 6:00 p.m. EDT.

Grace began her tobacco prevention advocacy work with the Association for Nonsmokers–Minnesota (ANSR), helping conduct tobacco retailer compliance checks to prevent tobacco sales to minors. Her advocacy quickly expanded to providing testimony in support of tobacco control policies, such as local legislation to end the sale of flavored tobacco products and raise the tobacco sale age to 21.

As she gained advocacy experience, Grace developed her ability to forge strong relationships with policymakers and build grassroots support. Through her work with state Rep. Kelly Moller to eliminate flavored tobacco products, she helped Rep. Moller's son get involved with ANSR and tobacco prevention work himself. Her community work captured the attention of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who presented her with the state's honorary challenge coin.

"We are thrilled to honor Grace Plowman as a Youth Advocate of the Year," said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "Young advocates like Grace are using their platform to educate and get more young people involved in standing up to the tobacco industry and leading the way to the first tobacco-free generation."

Every year, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids honors a National Youth Advocate of the Year, four Individual Youth Advocates of the Year and a Group Youth Advocate of the Year. The winners receive scholarships to continue their tobacco prevention efforts and 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 $226.7 billion in health care bills each year. Tobacco kills more than 8 million people worldwide each year.

In Minnesota, tobacco use claims 5,900 lives and costs $2.51 billion in health care bills each year. Currently, 3.2% of Minnesota's high school students smoke cigarettes and 19.3% use e-cigarettes.

Additional information about the youth award winners can be found at tfk.org/awards and more resources and information about tobacco can be found at www.tobaccofreekids.org.

SOURCE Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids