Our Work

"Be Smart, Don't Start" Series
We initiated this educational series in order to spread awareness to elementary and middle schoolers about the harms of tobacco products before they enter high school, where usage is the most prevalent.
*Supported by the American Heart Association and Stanford Medical School.

Participants Engaged

Event Group Photo

Art Contests
IYTC held their Annual Youth Art contest where youth depicted IYTC's mission statement "Every Teen Deserves a Healthy Life" through art. We received multiple submission from youth internationally and rewarded the top three winners a cash prize.
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Other Submissions
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Other Submissions

Disney Onscreen Smoking
In 2019, Disney purchased 140 films from Fox that contained smoking scenes. We wrote to CEO Robert Iger-from California, New Jersey, China, and Saudi Arabia-to place restrictions by warning about the impacts.
*In partnership with the Tobacco Research Center of the University of California, San Franciso.
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IYTC Philippines
IYTC ambassadors have collected data on 293 local students in the Philippines and found a 9% smoking rate, roughly two times that of the US. IYTC is developing an educational curriculum with Nemesio I. Yabut Senior High School as we navigate local policy.
*In partnership with the Tobacco Research Center of the University of California, San Franciso.

IYTC x AYC
IYTC held one of its first video activities with the Asian Youth Center! In this fun activity, IYTC sent AYC an educational video on the harms of tobacco and vital information the kids should know in order to stay safe from tobacco. The students at AYC watched it with their tutor. After the kids watched the video, they filled out an interactive worksheet with the knowledge they learned! We’ll be releasing another video on peer pressure and are excited to share more resources with AYC!

LA Social Media Campaign
The IYTC #ProtectOurYouth campaign, a partnership with the LA County Public Health Department to raise awareness on the harms of tobacco usage, was a campaign to spread awareness about the harms of tobacco usage and shares young advocates' personal stories. Through the process, we have gained a total reach of 119,696 people on both Instagram and Facebook! Thank you everyone for supporting us throughout this process and keep following our social media for our next campaign!

Member's Post

Member's Post
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LACOE Alternative to Suspension Policies
Because we believe the vaping epidemic is reflective of manipulative marketing, we should focus more on help than punishment.
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IYTC representatives were invited to the LA County Office of Education meeting to discuss alternatives to suspension.

No Tobacco Week
Our "No Tobacco" Weeks, either in China or with exchange students, have spread awareness to over 4,000 students.

San Marino School Board Meeting
On September 10th, we met with the San Marino Unified School District Board of Education. At the meeting, IYTC members spoke out about the current vaping issue facing many youths and proposed joint efforts with the school district to bring about a tobacco-free school environment. As a result, IYTC will soon be creating an informational video for teachers and staff to identify and address vaping on school campuses. Furthermore, the annual health-focused Red Ribbon Week will include avoiding vaping as part of its message.

Group Photo

Presenting to Board
Tobacco Free Around the World
IYTC hosted its first “Tobacco Free Around the World” series event in Kenya with Den of Hope and Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance. This was the first cross-continent event in which over 50 students from Africa and North America were able to learn and discuss the harms of cigarettes and vapes. The event consisted of a presentation from IYTC and Den of Hope and was followed by a discussion where Kenyan and American students shared their perspectives on tobacco usage in their communities. At the end of the event, all students signed their names to pledge to not use tobacco products.
Fatia Achieng, Kenya, said after the event, “I want to help my friend quit and will start by making sure she is aware of the health consequences of tobacco.” Liliana Kazachka, US, recounted, “I learned tobacco causes a lot of body damage such as cancer and tooth decay and will share what I learned to anybody I know.”

We are absolutely thrilled to launch IYTC’s exciting new online resource series! This episode in our journey kicks off our mission to create fun, powerful, and impactful content that raises awareness about the dangers of youth tobacco use. Filled with energy and purpose, we dive into the eye opening facts about the industry of tobacco in Indonesia and beyond. To increase our global impact, IYTC teamed up with ICTC Pamuna Bangura and local partners for an inspiring school event. From powerful messages to real-world impact, this video is all about educating. We can't wait for you to watch, share, like, and join us in this important cause!
The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the supreme decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Tobacco control is an important part of the conversation due to tobacco's significant environmental impact.
Ahead of this year's COP, taking place in November in Switzerland, we're hosting a discussion on how to meaningfully engage youth in climate and tobacco-related advocacy.
If you or members of your chapter are interested in participating, let us know—so we can include you in the invitation once the meeting time is confirmed.

2025 World Conference on Tobacco Control (Dublin, Ireland):
We were proud to participate in the 2025 World Conference on Tobacco Control, held in Dublin, Ireland, from June 23–25. The conference brought together over 1,000 professionals, government officials, researchers, youth leaders, and advocates from across the globe, all committed to ending the influence of the tobacco industry. Our CEO, Lisa Lu, was invited to speak at the session “Generational Accountability: Youth Taking a Stand Against the Tobacco Industry,” where she shared our organization’s vision for youth-led action and intergenerational responsibility in tobacco control. Lisa also joined a global press briefing alongside international journalists interested in the growing momentum of youth mobilization in public health.
Lisa received the Terry Luther Young Pioneer Award — one of the highest honors in the field. The award, presented annually by the World Conference on Tobacco Control, recognizes two outstanding leaders under 40 and one distinguished career awardee over 40. Our Founder and CEO was selected from a competitive pool of global nominees for her impact and leadership.
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Photos #1–3: Lisa at the conference
Photo #4: Director-General of the World Health Organization



