Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Honors Joshua Pritchett of Chesapeake, Va., As East Region Youth Advocate of the Year

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May 13, 2015, 12:20 ET

WASHINGTON, May 13, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Joshua Pritchett, 17, has been named the East Region Youth Advocate of the Year by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids for his leadership in the fight against tobacco. Joshua will be honored at a gala in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, May 14.

Joshua is a member of Y Street, the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth's award-winning teen volunteer initiative that promotes a healthier state. He serves on the Y Street Leadership Team, which plans activities in schools and communities statewide. Joshua has worked with Y Street to educate members of Virginia's General Assembly about the importance of tobacco prevention programs.

Joshua has been a leader in the 24/7 campaign, which focuses on prohibiting the use of tobacco products on public school campuses, including all school property and at all school events. He spoke to the Chesapeake School Board about why all schools in the district should be tobacco-free, presenting survey data about where students were exposed to tobacco use and secondhand smoke on campus.

"We are thrilled to honor Joshua as our East Region Youth Advocate of the Year," said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "Young leaders like Joshua are changing minds and getting results – both by convincing their peers to reject tobacco and spurring elected officials to take action. With their help, we can make the next generation tobacco-free."

Over 400 public health, business, civic and political leaders will attend the gala to recognize Joshua, three additional regional award winners, one national winner and one group winner. The winners will receive scholarships to continue their prevention efforts and will also 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 more than 480,000 Americans and costing the nation about $170 billion in health care bills each year. Without strong action now, 5.6 million kids alive today will die prematurely from tobacco-caused disease, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.

In Virginia, tobacco use kills 10,300 people and costs the state $3.1 billion in health care expenses each year. Currently, 11.1 percent of the state's high school students smoke.

Additional information about the youth award winners, gala and tobacco can be found at www.tobaccofreekids.org.

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SOURCE Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids