Lieutenant Governor's Call to Action

As Chair of the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund, working to improve the lives of young North Carolinians is among my highest priorities. There is no better investment of time or money than in programs that benefit the health and wellbeing of our children.

Tobacco use is consistently the #1 cause of preventable death in North Carolina, but despite that fact, nearly 25,000 youth in our state take up tobacco each year. We must do everything in our power to curb the growth of this epidemic, and there is no better place to begin teaching our children this valuable lesson than within the setting of their own schools.

Providing North Carolina children with schools that don't allow the use of tobacco anytime, anywhere by anyone is a key step to showing our kids the path to a healthier, happier future. The teachers, coaches, principals and other school staff who educate our youth are among their most influential role models. By sending a clear and consistent message that tobacco use is unacceptable behavior at school, these role models are practicing what they preach, and teaching by example. As they say, actions speak louder than words.

I hope you find the resources on this website both educational and useful, and I look forward to a day soon when all of North Carolina's schools are 100% tobacco-free. Thank you for visiting the 100% Tobacco-Free Schools website, and for taking the first step to protecting our state's greatest natural resource - its children.

Sincerely,

Beverly E. Perdue