Hello, I am Itzel, a member of the leadership team for Evolvement, a youth-led movement promoting a nicotine-free New Mexico. This is my first year on the leadership team, and I am committed to spreading awareness. As a youth advocate with Evolvement, I have learned to speak about an issue that affects not only youth but also young adults. The sale of tobacco and nicotine products needs to come to an end because today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders. Seeing how these products affect my peers, I believe raising awareness among young people will help encourage them to stop using flavored products.

One of the biggest reasons to end the sale of tobacco and nicotine is the serious health risks associated with them. These products can lead young people down the wrong path and put their health and future in danger. They are becoming more common in schools, public places, and even at home. This exposure can spark curiosity, leading young people to try them – and once they do, the risk of addiction is high. Nicotine and tobacco addiction can be a frightening experience, which is why the No Minor Sale campaign is working to end the sale of flavored products.

To stop the sale of tobacco and nicotine, I believe we need to take several steps. Raising the legal age to purchase these products was just a starting point. We must also limit sales and remove flavors that appeal to youth. There is so much that can be done, and while the challenge is urgent, there is still time to take action. By raising awareness and empowering youth voices, we can lead the way toward ending the sale of all flavored nicotine and tobacco products.

    Hi, I'm Illuminata, a junior at Eldorado High School, and this is my third year in Evolvement. Through Evolvement we have two campaigns. One of them is called No Minor Sale which is focused on preventing illegal nicotine product sales to underage youth. We work to educate communities, parents, and retailers about existing nicotine regulations and the negative impacts of selling nicotine products to minors. We also aim to show individuals how they can actively contribute to preventing these illegal sales. The campaign is supported by New Mexico Health.

    Throughout my time in Evolvement, I have had the opportunity to participate in many impactful events, with one of my favorites being our visit to Popejoy Hall. There, we set up a table, engaged with the community, and gathered support cards for protecting underage youth from the dangers of flavored nicotine products. Events are important because they can engage individuals interested in supporting the campaign's efforts and encourage them to join as volunteers. They also provide valuable opportunities to bring communities together.

    This work is so important to me because protecting youth from flavored nicotine is absolutely vital for their health. These products contain harmful chemicals that can severely damage developing the lungs and overall health and the well-being of young people.

Hi there! I'm Saim Iqbal, a junior at Arrowhead Park Early College High School in Las Cruces, New Mexico. I've been involved with Evolvement for one year, and on April 17th, I had a unique experience. I presented with Paiuma and Siena, fellow Evolvement youth advocates, at Camino Real Middle School. In this blog, I will share my experience of speaking to the younger students about the Evolvement program and the consequences of nicotine and tobacco use.

The room was full of middle school students, all waiting to hear what our team had to say. We introduced ourselves to the kids, and we jumped into it. The students were engaged as we talked about the importance of stopping illegal nicotine sales to minors and how youth advocates can help raise awareness and protect their peers from being targeted by tobacco companies. I also discussed the No Minor Sale campaign, which protects youth by raising awareness about the illegal sale of nicotine products to minors. I talked about things I have actually witnessed in real life: students vaping in bathrooms at school, and how social media often normalizes nicotine use and makes it sound fun. I told them that middle school youth could stand up to the tobacco industry by speaking up, resisting peer and online pressure, and making informed and healthy decisions. The students listened attentively to what we had to say and asked some really great and thoughtful questions! One student asked, "Why do so many teens still vape if it is illegal for minors?" This prompted a discussion about peer pressure, marketing tactics, and the role of youth advocacy in counteracting that narrative.

The No Minor Sale campaign isn’t only about nicotine laws — it’s about protecting our generation and future generations to come. Speaking at Camino Real reminded me that this work matters and refueled my passion to continue my advocacy journey.

I hope that many additional schools and communities, like Camino Real, will participate in stopping illegal nicotine sales and will continue to support No Minor Sale efforts, raise awareness, and support their youth to speak out and protect our next generation. These conversations are only the first step, but they have the potential to shape our communities for good. I'm proud to be a part of a campaign that gives young people a voice and the ability to make a change.