SWAT Success Story
A successful victory was accomplished by the Hillsborough County Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) members. On March 29, the Lowry Park Zoo kicked off their new smoke-free policy that was enacted thanks to the persistence of these teenagers. As part of this year's annual “Kick Butts Day” activities on April 1st, the youth presented the Zoo with a certificate to thank them for this positive action to protect the animals as well as the children and families of this county from exposure to second-hand smoke. The youth continued their journey by implementing a "street marketing" event on April 2nd, where approximately 40 teenagers gathered at a busy Tampa intersection (DR. MLK and Dale Mabry, in front of Cancer’s Survivors Plaza at Al Lopez Park), where they held signs and banners along the sidewalk. There, the teens lined up and a youth laid on the floor every eight seconds, while holding signs stating “every 8 seconds, someone dies from tobacco”. WFLA (local TV station) and the Tampa Tribune covered the event. The traffic light was a long, red light and the people caught in traffic were watching as each person lay on the ground. Youth received many honks, applause and thumbs up from many drivers.