Jackson named to board of directors for The Truth Initiative Foundation to stop youth nicotine use
State Rep. Carolyn Jackson (D-Hammond) has officially accepted her appointment to the board of directors for the Truth Initiative Foundation. The Truth Initiative is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization that seeks to discourage youth nicotine use through education, policy study, community activism, commercial tobacco control research, and tobacco dependence treatment innovation. It is the largest nonprofit public health organization dedicated to preventing nicotine addiction in young adults and empowering users to quit.
The board of directors is an independent body that oversees the work of the Truth Initiative. As part of the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), the National Association of Attorney’s General (NAAG) and the National Governors Association (NGA) appoint members to serve on the bipartisan board. Rep. Jackson was nominated by the NCSL to be the Democratic board member since the current member is retiring.
“I am honored to accept this appointment to the board of directors for the Truth Initiative Foundation,” Rep. Jackson said. “The work of this organization is essential to combatting the crisis of youth nicotine use. Nicotine is an incredibly harmful and addictive substance that adversely effects brain development as well as the physical and mental health of young people. Using nicotine before age 25 has also been proven to increase the risk of future addiction to cigarettes and other drugs.
“The effort to prevent youth nicotine use is not new and has seen great success in the past. Through public awareness, education, community engagement, research and policy initiatives, the youth smoking rate dropped from about 23% to 2% since the year 2000. However, the tobacco industry has adapted to target young people once again with new products such as nicotine and e-cigarettes that are easily marketable to teens. In 2021, nearly one in five Hoosier high schoolers reported that they used e-cigarettes.
“Protecting youth in America from falling victim to the commercial tobacco industry's profit-driven schemes takes commitment across different sectors. The Truth Initiative brings together industry leaders, experts from the nation’s top institutions and state officials from all three branches of government including governors, attorneys general and legislators. I look forward to joining this critical organization to help establish their long-term agenda, their priorities and to ensure this initiative is as effective as possible when it comes to reaching America's young people.”
For more information about Tobacco Prevention & Cessation in Indiana, or to find youth services, visit this Indiana Department of Health page.