COLLEGE HILL, Ohio (WKRC) - Grant money was awarded to the Cancer Justice Network Thursday to help fund smoking and vaping education at Cincinnati schools.
The late Ahron Leichtman was a local public health activist who worked hard to ban smoking in public places. Penny Manes, his attorney and friend, announced Thursday that $20,000 from his two nonprofit organizations will go toward educating the city’s teens.
“I think it is a very timely situation, and I think that Ahron would be pleased with where the money is going,” said Manes.
E-cigarette usage is said to be on the rise. Director of the Cancer Justice Network, Steve Sunderland, will work closely with Aiken, Walnut Hills, Woodward, Mt. Notre Dame, and Moeller high schools.
“Our commitment is not to have these young people start on anything that will addict them to tobacco or any kind of tobacco product,” said Sunderland.
Each high school has formed a committee to promote the stoppage of using any tobacco product. Aiken High School student, Andy Curtis, hopes to influence his peers into making good decisions.
“I want to have a bright future, and I want that for my friends, too. If I can tell a friend that vaping is bad and smoking cigarettes is bad, I will tell them that because I know how dangerous it is,” said Curtis.
The committees will now come up with a budget and plan on how to educate their peers.
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