Catalyst Students Participate in Springfield Press Conference

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 by In September 2017, #Catalyst SHS students met with State Senator Julie Morrison to advocate on behalf of all youth.  They discussed the risks of e-cigarette use among youth and shared the benefits of Tobacco21 in Illinois.
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As a result of their meeting, Stevenson Catalyst Club members Borler Wu, Katherine Yao, Melissa Hauptman, and Ashleigh Machado traveled to Springfield this past Tuesday, January 30 where they participated in a press conference which included Illinois lawmakers Senator Julie Morrison, Senator John G. Mulroe, State Representative Camille Y. Lilly, State Representative Melissa Conyears-Ervin, American Heart Association - Illinois, and other health organizations to propose raising the tobacco purchasing age from 18 to 21 statewide by passing Senate Bill 2332.

The premise of the law is simple: Teens and young adults are likely to quit smoking, or never start, if they have to ask those 21 and older to buy cigarettes for them.

Catalyst member Borler Wu spoke at the press conference and continued to make the case for #Tobacco21 on behalf of Illinois youth everywhere.

Catalyst members then met with local legislatures to continue discussions about the proposed bill, including Senator Morrison, Senator Dan McConchie, State Representative Scott Drury, and State Representative Nick Sauer.

We are incredibly proud of the advocacy work Catalyst students are doing, and we will continue to support them on their goal to have the Tobacco 21 bill passed.

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