BUFFALO, N.Y. — New York’s youth is no stranger to understanding tobacco and nicotine addictions.

“Menthol is meant to entice the youth to experiment with tobacco products and may continue use easier until nicotine addicts them,” said Taisjhuan Johnson, a student at Health Science Charter School in Buffalo.

What You Need To Know

  • April 1 is Take Down Tobacco National Day of Action
  • While the New York State DOH says that as of 2022, just one in five youth are using tobacco here at home, national numbers still need work
  • Youth from Buffalo's Health Science Charter School began taking action early and are advocating for youth to take down tobacco

And while the state Department of Health says that as of 2022, just one in five youth are using tobacco in New York, national numbers still need work.

“Nationally, 54.5% of high school smokers and 48.4% of middle school smokers prefer menthol cigarettes,” said Kaivohn Pitts, also a student at Health Science Charter School.

In honor of April 1 being Take Down Tobacco National Day of Action, students in Buffalo were joined by their community to take early action.

“This is a celebration of community members, of faith leaders, students, the entire community coming together to say, ‘you know what, we’re not going to stand for the tobacco industry targeting our kids. We’re not going to stand for the tobacco industry trying to bamboozle, trying to hoodwink,’” said Stan Martin, founder and CEO of No Menthol Buffalo. 

Students are taking lived experiences and learning from them.

“There’s a disproportionate amount of African Americans and people of color who suffer from cancer,” said Alante Green, a member of No Menthol Buffalo.

“My mother passed away from lung cancer when she was only 41 years old. She was a smoker and like so many others, she was introduced to tobacco at a young age. She, like millions of Black smokers, was drawn in by menthol, marketed as smoother but in reality, just more addictive,” said Giovanna Cuomo Brown, a member of Buffalo Center for Health Equity. 

Community members are calling for local and state leaders to regulate menthol sales and tobacco marketing.

“Studies show, as our youth were highlighting today, that if menthol were banned, studies show that African Americans would be more likely to quit smoking rather than switch to other tobacco products,” Cuomo Brown said. “Youth e-cigarette use is skyrocketing. And while the (Food and Drug Administration) has yet to fully act, we know that change can start here.”