Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Honors Viking Kicking Out Tobacco of Bryan, TX, As Group Youth Advocates of the Year

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May 24, 2019, 09:41 ET

WASHINGTON, May 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The members of Vikings Kicking Out Tobacco (VKOT) from Bryan, Texas, have been named Group Youth Advocates of the Year by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids for their leadership in the fight against tobacco. Sergio Umanzor, 17, Veronica Verango, 15, Zaria Yarbrough, 15 and Nicholas McDaniel, 16, were honored last night in Washington, D.C.

Advocates from VKOT collected cigarette butts from the city's parks and highlighted the harmful effects of exposure to secondhand smoke to convince the Bryan Parks & Recreation department to pass an ordinance prohibiting tobacco use in city parks. They also successfully advocated for a comprehensive smoke-free policy in Bryan that was recently approved by the City Council. They have also advocated at the Texas state capitol for statewide legislation to raise the tobacco age to 21 and to make all public and work places smoke-free.

"We are thrilled to honor Vikings Kicking Out Tobacco as our Group Youth Advocates of the Year," said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "These young leaders are proof that a small group can stand up to the tobacco industry, inspire their peers to be tobacco-free and encourage elected officials to take action. They are helping create the first tobacco-free generation."

VKOT 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 Texas, tobacco use claims 28,000 lives and costs over $8.8 billion in health care bills each year. Currently, 7.4% of Texas' high school students smoke and 10.3% use e-cigarettes.

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

SOURCE Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids