Welcome to SAVE (Survivors and Victims of Tobacco Empowerment) a project of NC GASP (North Carolina group to Alleviate Smoking Pollution). Our program encourages survivors of tobacco related illnesses and their families to come forward and tell their stories about what has happened to them as a result of using tobacco products. It is through these stories that we can help our communities understand the true realities of the pain and the losses we suffer as a result of tobacco.
Survivors help us to understand the scope of the addiction and the difficulties that we have as a society in accepting the responsibility of protecting our children by adopting public policies to decrease the numbers of youth willing to try tobacco. Survivors are working to change policies that directly effect the number of youth willing to use tobacco. SAVE is receiving funding for our tobacco prevention school programs from the Health and Wellness Trust Fund Commission. We support policies such as 100% Tobacco Free Schools because we know that the more kids are exposed to adults who use tobacco then the more likely they are to use it themselves. Positive role modeling in all school activities (including spectator sports and school parking lots) will lead to fewer kids starting tobacco. This fact is supported by numerous studies and accepted by the Center for Disease Control.
We also support excise tax on all tobacco products because research has shown us that youth especially are directly affected by the price of tobacco. The more it cost the less likely youth are to buy it. We understand the financial drain that tobacco use places on our tax dollar as a result of disabling illnesses cause by tobacco. Excise tax is a way to off set the huge medical cost that our state must endure due to the illnesses it creates. We attempt to show youth the harms of tobacco by sharing our experiences and stories. We go into the schools and give presentations where students actually meet a person who breaths through a hole in his neck because part of his throat had to be removed due to throat cancer.
SAVE (Survivors and Victims (of Tobacco) Empowerment
14701 US HWY 52 N, SUITE A
WADESBORO, NC 28170
704-826-8186* Toll Free 888-8-VOICES(888-886-4237)
E-Mail: info@tobaccosurvivors.org Web: http://www.tobaccosurvivors.org