Problem/Objective: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each day, nearly 4,400 youth between the ages of 12 and 17 years initiates cigarette smoking in the United States. To prevent tobacco use among youth, the Maricopa County Tobacco Use Prevention Program (MACTUPP) started the Youth B.E.A.T. (Being Educated About Tobacco) Advocacy Program.

Methods: The Youth B.E.A.T trainings are provided to youth and program leaders in which information is presented on the hazards of tobacco use, peer leadership, refusals skills, and prevention activities. To compliment the trainings conducted, the Youth B.E.A.T. Advocacy Guide was developed for adult facilitators or leaders of youth groups to be a resource for incorporating tobacco use prevention into existing programs or building a new youth advocacy program. Since its conception, Youth B.E.A.T. has evolved into a more comprehensive advocacy program and now includes separate adolescent training component. This interactive training includes information on youth activism, peer leadership, and refusal skills.

Results: Since 2003, MACTUPP has disseminated Youth B.E.A.T. Advocacy Guides to over 100 youth serving organizations that focus on the importance of peer leadership and peer-to-peer education. MACTUPP has trained over 300 youth on short and long term consequences of tobacco use, hazards of secondhand smoke, decision making and refusal skills

Conclusions: MACTUPP worked closely with youth organizations to train, present and implement tobacco youth advocacy programs in schools and communities. The Youth Advocacy program offered youth advocates and their facilitators the tools to create and sustain active tobacco advocacy programs.