Philip Morris USA’s Youth Tobacco Prevention (YTP) department invests in a range of programs that support our goal of helping to reduce underage tobacco use.
For nearly ten years, PM USA has been a leading funder of positive youth development in the U.S., and has provided grants in excess of $230 million since 1998. In 2008, PM USA provided $21.5 million to support programming for kids in the Southeastern U.S., to provide organizational support to national youth-serving organizations, and to support research and resource development.
PM USA’s investments in positive youth development and adolescent tobacco cessation focus on organizations and programs that:
- emphasize kids’ strengths
- promote positive behaviors
- connect kids with caring adults
- enhance community supports and services for kids
These programs are designed to help kids develop the confidence and skills that can help them avoid risky behaviors, like smoking and other tobacco use.
Since 1998, PM USA has provided grants to support positive development and healthy alternatives for kids, as well as adolescent tobacco cessation programs and research. Recognizing that those who live and work with children play an important role, PM USA also funds programs to provide parents and other caring adults with information and resources to help them discourage youth tobacco use and other risky behaviors.
- Direct Services: This funding supports direct programming for kids in the areas of mentoring, out-of-school time programming, and education and prevention curricula. These programs are designed to enable positive decision-making, build kids’ self-confidence, and help kids avoid tobacco use and other risky behaviors.
- Mentoring: Research shows that mentoring programs promote positive outcomes for kids, including increased academic engagement and the reduction of risky behaviors. Our key national partner is Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
- LifeSkills Training: LifeSkills Training is a middle-school based positive youth development and risky behavior prevention curriculum, which has been shown to reduce tobacco and other drug use by 50%-75%.1 PM USA has funded LifeSkills Training through a variety of organizations since 1999, including state Departments of Education and non-profit organizations such as the Public Education Network.
- Out of School Programs: PM USA supports programs designed to help kids build the skills and self-confidence they need to avoid a range of risky behaviors, including tobacco use. Our key national partners are National 4-H Council and Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
- Adolescent Tobacco Cessation: PM USA supports adolescent tobacco cessation research through the University of California Los Angeles. We also support adolescent tobacco cessation programming through Caron Treatment Centers, which provides high school youth who are engaging in tobacco use with the skills they need to quit.
- Organizational Effectiveness: This funding helps national youth-serving organizations to build capacity to reach more kids, to improve program quality, and to better measure and communicate their impact.
- Field Advancement: This funding enables organizations to conduct research, to develop and disseminate tools and resources for leaders, and to help create better aligned and more effective youth programs and policies at the local, state and national levels.
Prior to 2008, PM USA grants tended to be national in scope and primarily supported kids aged 10-17. In 2008, we evolved our grant-making efforts toward a focus on support for middle-school youth in the Southeastern United States. The decision to focus resources on middle-school youth stemmed from a consensus in literature and among leading experts that this critical transition time for kids increases the risk for tobacco use and other risky behaviors. Our geographic focus informed in part by research which revealed a need for investment in youth development and tobacco prevention programming in tobacco-growing states, such as NC, VA, KY, TN, GA and FL. In addition, PM USA’s headquarters and manufacturing operation are located in the Southeast, along with the majority of tobacco leaf-growing communities.
PM USA’s Organizational Effectiveness and Field Advancement grants will continue to be national in scope. We will continue to maintain a strong national presence by supporting national youth-serving organizations efforts to improve program quality, conduct research, develop resources and align programs to improve outcomes for kids.
