SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco)

You have the power to make an impact.  Big Tobacco targets youth, but you can fight back by joining a SWAT club. 

SWAT Clubs are youth organizations working to mobilize, educate and equip Florida youth to advocate against and de-glamorize the tobacco industry.

Current Initiatives

Comprehensive School Tobacco Policy

Although students are not allowed to use tobacco at school, there are some school campuses where staff members and other adults are using tobacco. Studies show that schools with comprehensive policies against student and adult tobacco use on campus have a lower rate of students who use tobacco products. Sarasota County SWAT youth support adoption of the comprehensive policy recommended by the Florida Department of Health at all schools throughout Sarasota County. SWAT works with the Tobacco Free Partnership of Sarasota County to provide tobacco-free campus signage and cessation information to school staff members who use tobacco products.

Flavored Tobacco Products

SWAT educates fellow young people, the public, and local policymakers about candy- and fruit-flavored tobacco products. The tobacco industry markets these products to kids in hopes of replacing the more than 400,000 people who die each year in the U.S. because of tobacco. SWAT's efforts in this area have led to resolutions recommending against the sale of flavored tobacco products being passed by all local governments in the county, including the cities of North Port, Sarasota, and Venice; the town of Longboat Key, and Sarasota County itself.

Flavored Tobacco: I'm Not Buying It...
In this video, members of SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) from Sarasota County expose the truth about flavored tobacco products targeting youth and why they shouldn't be sold in stores.

Retail Advertising

Over the years, the tobacco industry has become increasingly limited in how they are allowed to advertise their harmful products. Laws have been passed to restrict tobacco advertising throughout the United States. Currently, tobacco products are mainly advertised where they are sold - in grocery stores, gas stations, convenience stores, liquor stores, and specialty tobacco shops. Youth visit many of these retailers (like grocery stores and gas stations) on a regular basis, whether they are with friends or their parents. SWAT youth have been involved in conducting surveys to evaluate the types and amount of tobacco advertising being displayed at retail locations in Sarasota County. SWAT is working toward educating community members on tobacco retail advertising and how it targets youth.

For more information:

• SWAT Coordinator
  (941) 861-2640 or via email
• www.swatsc.com, Sarasota County's SWAT website
• SWATflorida.com, Florida's statewide SWAT website