Generation FREE

 

Generation FREE is Mississippi’s youth-led tobacco prevention program that empowers youth ages 12-18 to make informed decisions about tobacco use and encourages teens to fight back against the acts of big tobacco companies. Generation FREE’s purpose is to create an atmosphere where youth can voice facts about the dangers of tobacco, learn to perform team-building activities geared toward tobacco prevention and advocate the rights of teens to express themselves freely. Generation FREE conducts a variety of statewide events by integrating teams of tobacco prevention leaders to interact with teens at school athletic functions, leadership conferences, and community events to promote the movement against big tobacco companies. Generation FREE provides monthly manuals, contests, video games, music, posters, t-shirts, and other teen-driven methods to increase awareness of harmful tobacco products. An interactive website, www.genfreems.com, provides an additional outlet for teens to participate in Generation FREE. The Generation FREE program is funded by a grant from the Mississippi State Department of Health.