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Contact Your Legislator

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Make Your Voice Heard by Legislators

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Use the template letter below to email your State Senator and State Representative to tell them why Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) funds are so important to programs like TRU. You can’t take back the harmful effects of tobacco products so we need to tell lawmakers that it’s time to put an end to the take backs on funding for tobacco prevention & cessation programs.

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Instructions

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1. Click here to find the email address for your state legislators.

2. Add a subject line to tell the legislator what the email is about. We suggest using “Please Maintain Tobacco Prevention Funding”

3. Copy the template letter below and paste it into the body of the email.

4. Anywhere you see highlighted text in the template letter, delete the text and insert the correct information to personalize your message.

5. Proofread your email for typos or missing information.

6. Click send.

 

Congratulations, you have just helped advocate for MSA funding!

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Learn More About MSA Funding

Visit the MSA Funding page under “Our Issues” to learn more about Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) funding and why it is so important for programs like TRU!

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Template Letter

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Dear Decision Maker,

I am a number grade student at name of your school and am writing to ask you to support maintaining level state funding for comprehensive tobacco prevention and control programs for fiscal year 2023 in the amount of $15.546 million.

Every year, 3,700 new Pennsylvania youth become regular daily smokers, and one-third of them will die prematurely as a result.  But studies have shown that when states invest in tobacco prevention programs, they lower youth smoking rates and overall tobacco use. This is especially critical as lung health is more important than ever. Right now, lifesaving tobacco programs, like the Tobacco Resistance Unit (TRU), are making a difference in Pennsylvania. TRU is a statewide movement to help prevent and stop youth tobacco use through education and activism.

Tobacco prevention and cessation programs are a smart investment for states that want to save lives and save money by reducing smoking-related healthcare costs. Tobacco costs taxpayers $14 billion annually. For every dollar spent on tobacco prevention, states reduce tobacco-related healthcare costs and hospitalizations by up to $55.

Add 1-2 sentences about how e-cigarettes have impacted your life or the life of someone you know. You can’t take back irreversible lung damage, debilitating brain changes, life-threatening diseases, or the other harmful effects of tobacco products. So don’t take back the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) funds promised to us for tobacco prevention and cessation.

Please protect Pennsylvania youth from becoming another generation hooked on Big Tobacco’s misleading marketing tactics by ensuring continued funding for tobacco prevention programs, like TRU.

Thank you

Your Name

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Subscribe to the TRU Newsletter

By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: American Lung Association, PO Box 4348, Charleston, NY, 25364, US. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact.

Feature Your Group

Interested in having your TRU group featured?
Submit your photos by completing this form!

Educate

Take a deep dive into the resources below to educate yourself on the dangers of tobacco products like e-cigarettes, learn about cessation programs you or your friends can use, and learn how to create a tobacco-free campus at your college or university!

Participate

  • Access to resources to help you plan tobacco-free initiatives and activities of your own
  • Opportunities to mentor current TRU members on being a great advocate and making your voice heard among lawmakers & the community
  • Learn about the latest legislation and policy updates on tobacco prevention &cessation
  • Receive the quarterly TRU+ newsletter to stay up-to-date on TRU, our advocacy issues, and ways to support our tobacco-free mission
  • Continue your important role as an advocate working to keep Pennsylvania youth tobacco-free!

Join TRU+

By completing this form, I am agreeing to subscribe to the quarterly TRU+ Newsletter.

Apply

TRU Ambassador applications for the 2025-2026 school year are now open! 

TRU offers awesome opportunities to learn leadership and advocacy skills to make our students well-equipped to handle the lies of Big Tobacco companies and to educate lawmakers on the importance of tobacco control laws! These opportunities include:

TRU Youth Ambassadors are passionate about tobacco prevention, advocacy, and leadership. Here’s what you need to know:

  • Requirements:
    • Commit to a tobacco-free lifestyle
    • Join and lead monthly TRU calls
    • Organize and participate in TRU Storms and projects
    • Attend Day at the Capitol
    • Volunteer for social media, media interviews, & special projects
    • Stay active in the program all year!
  • Benefits:
    • Build leadership skills(great for your resume)
    • Access to cool gear
    • End-of-year scholarship opportunity
    • Contribute to a vital statewide tobacco control initiative
    • Make a real difference!

Join TRU

Interested in becoming a TRU student? Find a group by completing this form!

Find a TRU Group

Complete this form and a TRU advisor will reach out to you.