Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids

National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids

A new, privately-funded, national organization has been established to focus the nation's attention and energies on reducing tobacco use among children. The National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids is the country's most significant nongovernmental initiative ever launched to protect children from tobacco addiction.

The Center's mandate is to change the social environment and public policies to decrease youth tobacco use, to limit the marketing and sales of tobacco to children and to serve as a counter force to the tobacco industry and its special interests.

The Center will work with a broad range of health, education and community organizations, private industry and a bipartisan coalition of political leaders to: serve as a communications center to disseminate information and develop media campaigns and events; provide assistance to state and community-level tobacco control programs; conduct outreach to broaden the base of organizations involved; undertake research and analysis; coordinate with federal, state and local governments; and engage in advocacy for supportive public policies.

Long-term investments in the Center have been made by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the American Cancer Society. Other funders to date are the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Conrad Hilton Foundation, and the Kaiser Family Foundation. The Henry Ford Health System is also assisting.

The Center grew out of the CAMPAIGN FOR TOBACCO-FREE KIDS, a national initiative to stop the illegal sale and unethical marketing of tobacco to children. A toll-free number (1-800-284-KIDS) is being utilized to encourage the public and interested organizations to get involved.

Organizations playing key partnership roles in the new Center include the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, American Heart Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, the National PTA and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Other organizations are also participating.

The Center is a free-standing institution, based in Washington, D.C., with its own board and staff. It will be fully operational in June, 1996, at which time the CAMPAIGN FOR TOBACCO-FREE KIDS will be incorporated into the Center.

For More information on the National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids and the CAMPAIGN FOR TOBACCO-FREE KIDS, call (202)296-5469.

Coordinating Committee to Prevent Tobacco Use by Youth

1707 L Street, NW Suite 400

Washington, DC 20036 email: ai0022@advinst.org

(Those are zeros in the address no the letter O)