Texas Youth Summit
About the Summit
The Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC) has selected 52 high school students to be delegates at the Texas Youth Summit in Austin, TX. Delegates representing 18 of the 31 state senate districts in Texas will attend the Texas Youth Summit on March 23-25, 2009, to explore solutions to tobacco related problems. These Delegates have a strong commitment to addressing tobacco problems and will work with their local coalitions and community leaders to implement their recommendations when they return from the Summit.
The Summit will provide a forum for young people from all parts of the state to discuss tobacco-related topics from a state and community perspective. TxSSC expects the Summit to produce new solutions and creative approaches from young people who are directly affected by tobacco related problems. The Summit is being sponsored by the Texas School Safety Center, Extreme Youth Leadership, Palmer Drug Abuse Program Midland, Texas Department of State Health Services and EnviroMedia Social Marketing.
2009 Media Coverage
Abilene
March 25, 2009 - Merkel junior selected to be Teen Ambassador (pdf) (web link)
March 7, 2009 - Austin invites teens to address tobacco issues (pdf) (web link)
Amarillo
March 31, 2009 - Local AHS student participates in Texas Youth Summit (pdf) (web link)
Dallas
April 24, 2009 - Teen to tackle tobacco issues with lawmakers (pdf) (web link)
Ft. Worth
March 3, 2009 - Haltom High School Teen to Tackle Tobacco Issues with Texas Lawmakers
Local Teen Chosen as Texas Youth Summit Delegate at State Capitol (pdf) (web link)
March 15, 2009 - Haltom High student is passionate about tobacco prevention (pdf)
Midland
March 16, 2009 - Texas Youth Summit (pdf) (web link)
March 18, 2009 - Teen talks tobacco with reps (pdf) (web link)
McAllen
April 9, 2009 - LIFE-CHANGING: Two PSJA students attend summit in effort to stomp out tobacco use (pdf) (web link)
Rio Grande Valley
March 25, 2009 - Two PSJA students chosen as Texas Youth Summit Delegates (pdf) (web link)
Summit Information
CONGRATULATIONS! Delegates representing 18 Senate and 42 House districts have been selected to attend the 2009 Texas Youth Summit March 23-25.
Delegate Recommendations
After hearing presentations from experts in the field of Tobacco Cessation, Prevention of Tobacco Use and Second-hand Smoke the Delegates broke into small groups to brainstorm recommendations to address these issues. The recommendations were voted on by all Delegates and presented to their legislators on March 25, 2009.
Below are the 2009 TYS Recommendations:
A) Require licensed tobacco retailers to include an informational brochure in every tobacco product sold detailing facts about tobacco and chemicals in tobacco.
B) Increase funding for a comprehensive state-wide media campaign on tobacco prevention to help reduce the influence of the tobacco industry on youth. Use money from tobacco settlement to pay for a state-wide campaign. Development of the campaign should include youth input.
C) Ban smoking in all public places. Implement a comprehensive smoke-free Texas law, including public parks, public recreation areas, amusement parks, public events in outdoor areas, hotels/motels, public transportation stops and bingo halls and to increase the distance from entryways.
