Youth Action Alliances Take On
The Tobacco Industry

Brampton - Wearing white masks, dressed in black and holding banners with disturbing statistics about smoking, Peel's Youth Action Alliances (YAAs), known as extinguish, are protesting tobacco industry tactics targeting youth. extinguish will protest on March 31 at 9 a.m. in Mississauga on Rathburn Road between Duke of York Boulevard and City Centre Drive and in Brampton at 10 a.m. on Main Street in front of Gage Park before joining other YAAs at Upper Canada Mall at 1 p.m.

"We know tobacco companies are flavouring tobacco and using celebrities to market to youth so we start and keep smoking," says Lauren Pines, extinguish Peer Leader. "We also know that 44 people die from smoking-related health problems every day in Ontario. It's time the tobacco industry listens to us when we demand that it stops using manipulative tactics to get us hooked on its products."

The local protests come as part of the YAAs' Integrity Campaign which brings together YAAs from across Ontario to raise awareness about the tobacco industry's manipulation tactics that lure young people to smoke. The youth also want to gain public support in their fight against smoking and the companies who market it.

extinguish is made up of 14 youth from across Peel who define themselves as a youth-driven coalition exposing the deception of the tobacco industry and its tactics to target youth. As students that work for Peel Public Health, they spread awareness of tobacco industry tactics throughout the Region of Peel.

For more information on the protest or if you would like to become involved with extinguish, call the Region of Peel – Public Health at 905-799-7700, ext. 2753, or visit extinguishthesource.ca.