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Muskogee High students urge city support for CounterACT Tobacco campaign, seek removal of state preemption
Summary
Students from Muskogee High School presented a CounterACT Tobacco/YAWs program update, asked councilors to sign support cards and urged local authority to require retail licensing of e-cigarettes and tobacco products if state preemption were removed.
Students from Muskogee High School presented their CounterACT Tobacco campaign during the public works meeting on Aug. 11 and asked city councilors to sign support cards backing local authority to regulate tobacco and nicotine retailing.
"CounterACT Tobacco is an educational and advocacy campaign trying to move power out of big tobacco's hands and into our own state where statewide comprehensive tobacco retail licensing," student speaker Zaria Gordon said. The students described their Youth Action for Healthy Leadership (YAHS/YAWH) work, funded by the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), aimed at reducing youth access to e-cigarettes and nicotine products.
Presenters said Oklahoma lacks a comprehensive retail licensing program for vape and e-cigarette products, which makes enforcement and compliance checks more difficult. They cited a 2021 state figure that 21.7% of Oklahoma high school students reported using vapor products and stated a 2023 retail violation rate of 20.2% for illegal sales to minors, urging the city to support removing state preemption so localities could set stricter rules.
Students asked council members to sign local elected official support cards for the campaign; staff and council members praised the students' work and an educator noted vaping is seen even at the elementary level.
No vote was requested or taken at the meeting; the students left materials and offered to answer follow-up questions to the council and staff.
