Designates May of each year as "Youth Smoking Prevention and Awareness Month."

SJR78

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

No. 78

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 5, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� SHIRLEY K. TURNER

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

SYNOPSIS

���� Designates May of each year as �Youth Smoking
Prevention and Awareness Month.�

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

A Joint
Resolution

designating May of each
year as �Youth Smoking Prevention and Awareness Month� in New Jersey.

Whereas,

Nearly a quarter of the State�s middle school students and nearly one half of
its high school students have used cigarettes or other tobacco products at
least once; and

Whereas,

Adolescents who smoke are at risk of more frequent respiratory problems and are
generally less healthy than their peers who do not smoke; and

Whereas,

Research has shown smoking to have long-term deleterious effects on the health
of individuals; smoking related diseases include: lung, mouth, kidney, and
other cancers; heart disease and stroke; and respiratory problems such as
chronic obstructive lung disorders; and

Whereas,

There is a significant human cost resulting from the use of tobacco products;
an estimated 480,000 people die in the United States each year as a result of
diseases associated with smoking, and an additional 16 million people live with
smoking-related illnesses; in New Jersey smoking claims more than 11,000 lives
each year; and

Whereas,

There are also considerable financial costs from lost productivity and medical
expenses that result from smoking; nationally, the estimated cost is nearly $300
billion per year and in New Jersey, $2.6 billion; and

Whereas,

Because nearly all smokers begin smoking before age 18, middle and high school
years may be a particularly important time to address smoking prevention and
cessation; and

Whereas,

The State currently supports measures to educate vendors about, and to enforce
laws regarding, restrictions on the sale of tobacco products to minors; and

Whereas,

Because first-time experimentation with tobacco products most often occurs
during the summer months, it is appropriate to designate the month of May as
�Youth Smoking Prevention and Awareness Month� to promote awareness of the
dangers and costs of smoking; now, therefore,

����
Be It
Resolved
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� The month of May of each
year is designated as �Youth Smoking Prevention and Awareness Month� in New
Jersey in order to increase public awareness about the dangers of smoking among
youth and to encourage efforts supporting smoking prevention and cessation
among middle and high school students.

���� 2.��� The Governor is
respectfully requested to annually issue a proclamation designating May as
�Youth Smoking Prevention and Awareness Month� in New Jersey and calling upon
public officials and citizens of this State to observe the month with
appropriate activities and programs.

���� 3.��� This joint resolution
shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This joint resolution
designates May of each year as �Youth Smoking Prevention and Awareness Month�
in New Jersey in order to increase public awareness about the dangers of
smoking among youth, including the short-term and long-term health consequences
associated with tobacco use, and to encourage efforts supporting smoking
prevention and cessation among middle and high school students.

���� The joint resolution requests
the Governor to issue a proclamation designating May of each year as �Youth
Smoking Prevention and Awareness Month� in New Jersey and calling upon public
officials and the citizens of the State to observe the month with appropriate
activities and programs.