USE YOUR TOBACCO-FREE VOICE!
A tobacco-free generation
Advocating for a tobacco-free generation is all about using your voice. Speaking up can be as simple as giving morning announcements at school, posting on social media, writing an opinion piece to your local newsletter, or as advanced as meeting with your local and state elected officials.
Discover the different ways you and your youth group can utilize your voice through social media, broadcasting and print, and connecting to elected officials. Then, download and complete various activities to help educate your peers and community members about the dangers of tobacco and nicotine products and increase awareness about your efforts encouraging others to live a tobacco and nicotine-free life.
When it comes to increasing awareness about the dangers of tobacco and e-cigarette use and encouraging others to live a healthy, tobacco-free lifestyle, social media is the perfect tool!
Not only can you connect across the country, but advocates and youth leaders can play a critical role in communicating the importance of living vape-free and creating the first tobacco-free generation.
Whether your tobacco prevention efforts are focused on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube, Say What! has all the resources you need to be a successful youth advocate online.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Downloadable Resources
All templates available in all sizes
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
To help maximize your social media efforts, we've created catchy templates that not only educate others, but help you make a statement. Download any design to post on your social media platforms to share what you think about living tobacco and vape-free with your followers!
Photo Filters
Live the Life Filters
Help combat the tobacco industry by using one of our photo filters. Then, share with us, your friends, and Big Tobacco how you live the life without tobacco, nicotine or vaping products.
Share your story by adding the #LiveTheLife #BeVapeFree filters to your photos, and remember to tag us @TxSayWhat.
Live the Life
Be Vape-Free
Red Ribbon Week Filters
Activity Section
This Red Ribbon Week, show the tobacco industry you’re taking a stand against them, their lies, and their deceptive practices by using one of our photo filters. Then, share with us and your friends to let everyone know you live the life without tobacco, nicotine or vaping products.
Take your best picture and post all over your social media to show your friends how you celebrate your tobacco-free life!
Don’t forget to tag us @TxSayWhat and include our hashtags:
#majorKEY
#LiveTheLife
#LiveTobaccoFree
#BeVapeFree
Create Your Social Media Campaign
Social Media Campaigns are a great tool to not only promote your youth groups efforts at school or in the community but educate as many people as possible about the dangers of tobacco and nicotine products.
Download the Social Media Guide and Campaign Workbook to create your own social media campaign. You’ll be able to choose a tobacco-related topic, plan engaging and catchy content and imagery, and identify which social media platform to post on!
Create Your Tobacco-Free Vlog
Video blogs (vlogs) are the perfect option to discuss your thoughts and opinions about a variety of tobacco prevention topics. Say What! Teen Ambassadors vlog about their opinions too, and you can hear what they have to say by visiting our YouTube channel.
Download the Tobacco-Free Vlog Guide to create your own interactive videos about tobacco industry deception, harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine products, or how to live the life nicotine-free. Whatever you choose, just be creative!
BROADCASTING & PRINT
The power of your voice can transform your school and community more than you know. The act of sharing your opinions, voicing your concerns, and informing others of your tobacco prevention efforts can create numerous opportunities for change.
So, we invite you to explore the power of your voice at your school and within your community through several engaging activities.
Your School
Vocalizing your tobacco prevention efforts at school is a great way to encourage your peers about living tobacco-free and educating everyone about the myths of vaping. Use the Morning Announcements Guide to share an interesting fact during your school’s morning announcements.
Have more to say? Then, write a letter to your school newspaper highlighting your opinions about Big Tobacco and Big Vape, your advocacy efforts airing out their dirty laundry, and words of encouragement for those who do vape to quit.
Your Community
As youth tobacco prevention advocates, it’s important to continue your efforts within your community as well. Creating a relationship with your local media will help spread your messaging to the furthest parts of your community. Download the Media Interview Tip Sheet and take a look below at a few things you can do to promote your tobacco-free projects and events and share your advocacy work with community members.
Radio Interview
A radio interview can be a great way to discuss your tobacco-free event and invite community members to attend. Use the Radio Interview Guide to invite your community to your event.
Letter to the Editor
A letter to the editor is typically sent to a newspaper or publication to notify them about current issues or concerns and is often published by a media platform. Use the Letter to the Editor Guide to express your concerns about vaping among youth to your local media or school newspaper.
Press Release
A press release is used to help notify the media of any events that you have hosted that you would like to be covered by your local media. You can use the Press Release Guide to notify your local media about your groups tobacco prevention efforts.
Media Advisory
A media advisory is used to help notify your local media of any upcoming events you would like them to attend. Host a pep rally or awareness project and use the Media Advisory Guide to invite your local news station to your event.
Activity Section
Example: Sharyland Pioneer Student Council-Vaping PSA
Create Your Public Service Announcement
Public service announcements (PSA) not only increase awareness about an attitude or behavior, but provide an opportunity to be creative. Take a look at a Say What! youth group’s PSA.
Download the Tobacco-Free PSA Guide and Workbook to create your own public service announcement today!
Working with elected officials may seem scary, but they truly enjoy hearing from youth advocates and learning about the topics they are passionate about. Young people can drive innovation in policy by injecting new ideas and solutions into the policy process.
Often, people think of elected officials as Senators, Representatives, and Congressmen and women; however, numerous local positions are elected as well. City council members, mayors, judges, superintendents, and sheriffs are all elected to their office.
There are so many opportunities to voice your opinions and concerns about youth tobacco prevention at the local and state level and building a relationship at these levels is easy and important. Youth advocacy efforts show a support network that can change policies or programs, highlight a public health issue like tobacco, provide solutions, and build public support.
ELECTED OFFICIALS
Activity Section
Craft your Pitch
Crafting your pitch is the most important part of communicating your opinions and thoughts to policymakers.
Download the Developing Your Pitch Template to perfect your tobacco prevention messaging.
Start a Conversation
Building a relationship with decision-makers is the most important step to show you’re serious about preventing youth tobacco use.
Download the Building Relationships Guide and Template to send your meeting request.
Advocate for Youth
Tobacco Prevention
Are you ready to take the ultimate step in youth advocacy? Do you know a tobacco prevention policy worth fighting for?
Download the Informing Decision-Makers Guide to develop your cause for support and then contact your elected official through email, phone, or social media.
More Downloadable Resources:
For more downloadable resources, power point presentations, fact sheets, signage and guides & activities visit the Downloadable Resources page.
Phone
Toll Free: 877.304.2727
Local: 512.245.8082
Mailing Address
Texas School Safety Center
ATTN: Say What Program
Texas State University
601 University Drive
San Marcos, TX 78666
Say What! was created and designed by young people from across Texas and connects students interested in eliminating tobacco from their schools and communities. The Say What! movement is funded by the Texas Department of State Health Services through a contract with the Texas School Safety Center at Texas State University.