"We want to change the way big tobacco targets us, the youth of Nebraska," according to a youth speaker at a Wednesday rally at the Nebraska capital to oppose big tobacco.

Brooklyn Swantek of McCool Junction addressed about 100 Nebraska youth who participated in the training and rally, which was sponsored by No Limits Nebraska and designed to recognize Kick Butts Day.

Tobacco is an issue important to the youth of Nebraska, because most Nebraskans who use tobacco products started before age 18. In fact, the tobacco industry has been quoted as saying, "Cherry Skoal is for someone who likes the taste of candy, if you know what I'm saying,"  according to Swantek, who is a member of the No Limits youth board.

Sen. Mike Gloor of Grand Island addressed the youth, saying that many mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers made a bad decision when they were kids, and got hooked on smoking or other tobacco use. 

And he wants to do something to help keep today's Nebraska youth from having the problems that their relatives have had.

Gloor said that's why he has introduced LB436, which would increase the tax on a pack of cigarettes from 64 cents per pack to $1.99 per pack.

"One of things that we know is that if you increase the price of a pack of cigarettes, people will stop using tobacco," Gloor said.

A pack of cigarettes costs less than a movie ticket, Gloor said. That doesn't make sense. It ought to be easier for a teen to go to a movie than to buy a pack of cigarettes.

Swantek said that Nebraska should make changes to reduce tobacco use and help promote tobacco free kids. She suggested that Nebraska should have:

• a well-funded tobacco use program designed to help promote tobacco free kids and help adults quit smoking and other tobacco products;
  
• more expensive cigarettes and other tobacco products, so that teens will be less likely to start using tobacco products; and
  
• policies that promote smoke-free air, such as Nebraska's smoke-free worksites law.

"We can and will take a stand against tobacco companies," she said. "We can stop Big Tobacco from addicting another generation of Nebraska youth to a deadly product."

Knowing that more can be done to promote tobacco free kids in Nebraska can be inspiration for Nebraska youth to continue the fight for tobacco prevention in Nebraska, according to another rally speaker.

"We need to continue to take a stand like we're doing today, and get our word out, because tobacco is a leading cause of preventable death," said Briar Kinnan of Wilber. "I challenge each and every one of you to continue your work to fight this issue. If we don't  take action, just think, another generation will be addicted to these deadly products. Do it for your little brother or even your best friends."

Kick Butts Day is an annual day sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids to help promote tobacco free kids and tobacco prevention.

No Limits Nebraska is Nebraska's first youth-led and youth-driven tobacco prevention movement. By using activism, Nebraska teens are coming together to minimize the tobacco industry's influence in Nebraska.

Audio provided here highlights comments from Sen. Gloor, as well as rally presenters Swantek and Kinnan.