Glissmeyer, an LGBTQ youth, was honored for many achievements,
including his creation of Out of the Smoke, a Utah Pride Center program
dedicated to helping LGBTQ youth quit smoking. Glissmeyer, President of the
Youth Leadership Board of Utah’s statewide youth tobacco-control program, One
Good Reason, also played a major role in the “It’s All About the Packaging”
initiative. The initiative surveyed more than 1,800 Utah teens on marketing
tactics used by the tobacco industry to sell dissolvable tobacco products to
youth.
“Gabe Glissmeyer and other young leaders from across the nation are
making great strides in the fight against tobacco and their voices are being
heard,” said Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “Young
leaders like Gabe play a critical role in preventing kids from smoking and
reducing tobacco’s terrible toll on our nation.”
Glissmeyer’s fight against tobacco began when his older sister
picked up her first cigarette.
“Hollie turned to cigarettes at a young age and that addiction
rapidly progressed into more experimentation until she chose heroin,” said
Glissmeyer. “I saw how her life was falling apart and tearing apart the lives of
people around her. That’s when I decided to fight back.”
In Utah, 8.5 percent of high school students smoke, and 1,500
children become daily smokers every year. Every year, tobacco use kills 1,200
Utah residents and costs the state $345 million in health care bills.
For more information and resources visit www.TruthAgainstTobacco.com
Media Contact:
Andrea Kofoed
One Good Reason Adult Coordinator
(o) 801-538-7085 (m) 801-836-4066
Gabe Glissmeyer
Anti-tobacco Advocate
(801) 793-0410
