Chelsea Clinton’s Book Highlights Fight Against Tobacco – and Youth Advocate Magi Linscott
September 16, 2015
Chelsea Clinton’s new book – 'It's Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going' – examines today’s biggest challenges and shares stories about young people who are bringing about real change in their communities, countries and the world.
Appropriately, the book highlights the fight against tobacco – the No. 1 cause of preventable death. And we’re thrilled that it features the work of Magi Linscott, our 2014 National Youth Advocate of the Year.
First in her home state of Florida and then nationally, Magi has mobilized youth to stand up to the tobacco industry and help make the next generation tobacco-free.
The book discusses Magi’s advocacy work, including the social media campaign she created called “Not a Replacement.” Responding to a tobacco industry document that once called young people “replacement smokers,” the campaign encouraged teens to post selfie photos on social media with the hashtag #NotAReplacement.
The campaign was expanded nationwide in 2014 for Kick Butts Day, our annual day of youth activism. More than 3,500 #NotAReplacement selfies were created during the campaign, including selfies from U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and Disney star Monique Coleman.
Youth voices are critical in the fight against tobacco because 90 percent of all smokers start by age 18 or earlier and youth are heavily targeted by the tobacco industry. While we’ve made enormous progress in reducing youth smoking, the U.S. Surgeon General estimates that 5.6 million kids alive today will die prematurely from smoking without strong action now to prevent it.
Young advocates like Magi, now 19 and a college sophomore, are critical to winning the fight against tobacco. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is proud to foster the next generation of leaders.