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Waikiki gathering
fights teen smoking

The summit targets cigarette use
among Asian-American youth


Star-Bulletin staff

A three-day Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Youth Leadership Summit opened here yesterday to address increasing smoking and tobacco use among youth.

About 45 youths from across the country were expected to attend the first National AAPI HYPE (Helping Young People Empower) Leadership Summit on tobacco control, being held through tomorrow at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Hotel.

Youth leaders are conducting the summit with topics on youth mobilization, tobacco industry manipulation and the worldwide tobacco epidemic. The goal is to provide youth with training to become successful tobacco control leaders.

In a national study last year, AAPI youth had the highest increase in smoking of any group and the second highest use of menthol cigarettes, the organization said.

"Furthermore, the study also revealed alarming rates of smoking by native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander girls in middle school," the AAPI said.

The leadership summit was organized by Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment and Learning, with support from the American Legacy Foundation.

Rod Lew, project director of the organizing group, said, "After years of targeting the men in our communities, tobacco companies are clearly seeking the next segment as consumers, such as women and youth.

"These AAPI youth represent the future of leadership, not just in terms of tobacco use, but addressing the multitude of challenges for the diverse AAPI community."



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