SWAT - Students Working Against Tobacco

	What's SWAT All About?

SWAT is an organization available to students between the ages of 12-18.

Students can participate in activities and events that support the battle against the Big Tobacco industries’ manipulative tactics.

SWAT is Florida’s Tobacco Control program.

It is funded by the State of Florida through the tobacco settlement of 1997.

SWAT hopes to establish a SWAT Team in all middle and high schools in the state.

SWAT members from all 67 counties in Florida create ongoing SWAT programming and facilitate youth leadership.

SWAT promotes not only leadership, but also helps develop speaking skills and opportunities for youth to grow as community advocates.

On a local level, SWAT Students participate in leadership workshops, lock-ins, local parades, commercial contests, art contests, writing contests, and various other anti-tobacco programming.

SWAT’s message is about big tobacco marketing practices and exposing the manipulation of the tobacco industry.

There is one enemy, Big Tobacco.

SWAT does not tell anyone how to live their lives – you have enough people doing that already. The message is not about telling youth – “don’t smoke”. Instead SWAT works to generate awareness about what Big Tobacco does to get a share of the youth market.

SWAT does not talk down to or “preach” to anyone including smokers. Smokers join SWAT because they are victims of the tobacco industry’s manipulative advertising.

We are a generation UNITED against Big Tobacco.

SWAT is a youth advocacy group that promotes leadership and community involvement. SWAT uses these avenues among teens to create awareness about tobacco.