John,

The vaping industry is preying on people my age — and younger.

A sixth-grade student told me it was easier to borrow a Juul than a pencil.

We are in the midst of a widespread youth vaping epidemic. It is affecting youth all across the country and we should be infuriated. We should be exasperated. We should be heartbroken. And we must fight back!

As a Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids youth ambassador, I worked in my high school and my community of Holbrook, MA, to raise awareness about the threat of e-cigarettes. I’ve organized and educated my peers, I’ve spoken alongside the U.S. Surgeon General in the Nation’s Capital, and I’ve testified before the Massachusetts State Legislature in support of a bill to ban all flavored tobacco products.

I was elated on November 27th, when Governor Baker signed the bill I fought for into law. Massachusetts is now the first state to prohibit the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including flavored e-cigarettes and menthol cigarettes. 

Youth have a powerful voice in this fight. We are the ones being targeted with highly addictive tobacco products. It is our future on the line.

As a youth ambassador I’ve learned when we fight together we win.

There is a lot of work to do in 2020 to end this epidemic. Youth tobacco use rates are now the highest they have been in 20 years. We’ll only succeed if we stand and fight together.

Thank you!

Sarah Ryan is the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids 2019 Barrie Fiske National Youth Advocate of the Year award recipient. Sarah is a freshman at Boston College and continues her tobacco control advocacy in Massachusetts and nationally as a Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Board Member.