Contact Your Legislator

Make Your Voice Heard by Legislators

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.

Instructions

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

    • Enter your home address.
    • Scroll down the list of representatives to find your PA State Senator and PA State Representative.
    • Copy the email address and paste it into the “To” section of your email. You’ll want to send a separate email to each lawmaker.

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!

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!

Template Letter

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