Local Youth Leaders Mobilize Against Tobacco Marketing at Statewide Summit

Despite progress, more than 1 in 10 New York high school youth still use e-cigarettes

What: Tobacco Free NYS Youth Summit - Youth Interviews

Who: Reality Check, Broome County Health Department

When: Thursday, July 2, 2026 | ~3:00 PM (travel depending, contact Devin Link for final time)

Where: Broome County Health Department: 225 Front Street, Binghamton NY 13905

(JOHNSON CITY, NY) - Despite significant progress in reducing youth vaping in New York, more than one in 10 high school students still use e-cigarettes, and nicotine pouch use is rising in popularity. As manipulative tobacco marketing continues to attract and addict young people to nicotine, local teens are stepping up to fight back.

Several Johnson City students are currently joining more than 80 teens from across the state at SUNY Oswego for the three-day All-Around New York Youth Summit designed to inform, involve and inspire them to fight the tobacco industry's influence in their home communities.

"This is a rare and incredible opportunity for our local youth," said Devin Link, Reality Check Coordinator. "By the end of this week, they'll have the opportunity to grow into community leaders who are equipped with the skills needed to address tobacco use among their peers and elected officials."

Vaping drops but e-cigarettes are still popular among youth According to the New York Youth Tobacco Survey 2024 , e-cigarettes remain the most used tobacco product among high school students. Efforts by the New York State Tobacco Control Program have helped reduce youth use from 18.7% in 2022 to 13.1% in 2024. Despite this progress, more than one in 10 youth still use e-cigarettes and nicotine pouch use among this group doubled during the same time period.

Teens prepare to take action During the three-day summit, teens are developing leadership, communication and mobilization skills by engaging in workshops, learning storytelling techniques and creating displays for community education. They're also planning and practicing activities to carry out locally. Their aim is to raise awareness about industry tactics that normalize tobacco use-marketing sweet, low-cost products that appeal to young people and make it harder for current users to quit. The teens are part of Reality Check of Broome County Health Department, a program of the statewide Tobacco Control Program funded by the state's Department of Health. Reality Check is a youth-led movement that empowers young people to become community leaders. Supported by adults, the initiative exposes the manipulative and deceptive marketing tactics of the tobacco industry.

The youth leaders will be returning from Youth Summit on July 2nd, 2026, around 3pm. They will be available for interviews immediately upon their return. Please contact Devin Link at [email protected] or (607) 349-3707 to inquire.

Reality Check of New York State is funded by the New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Tobacco Control's, Tobacco Control Program of New York State (TCP). TCP aims to reduce illness, disability and death related to tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure, and to alleviate the social and economic burdens caused by tobacco use. To learn more about the Reality Check program, visit https://tobaccofreenys.org/our-focus/reality-check/.