Foundation Youth Activists Discuss Tobacco Prevention Initiatives on Capitol Hill Capitol Hill got a dose of the truth® last month, when five truth® crew members and nine members of the American Legacy Foundation®'s Youth Activism Council (YAC) met with policymakers to educate them on the importance of tobacco prevention and education among young people, and to share their experiences working on this life-saving issue. truth® is the nation's largest national youth smoking prevention campaign not directed by the tobacco industry. According to researchers, it is directly responsible for 22 percent of the overall decline in youth smoking rates during the first two years of the campaign (2000-2002). truth® crew members have experienced the campaign's value firsthand, through their work traveling the country as part of the summer truth® tour. On their visit to Capitol Hill, truth® crew members met with key aides to such policymakers as Sen. Hillary Clinton (New York), Sen. Charles Schumer (New York), Sen. Charles E. Grassley (Iowa), Rep. Bennie Thompson (Mississippi), Rep. Edolphus Towns (New York), Rep. Bob Inglis (South Carolina), and DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, among others. Current and former truth® marketers participating in the Hill visits included: Scotty Batson of Greenville, S.C., Emily Griggs, originally of Story City, Iowa and now a resident of New York City, N.Y.; Sean Risley of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Sasha Rivers of Washington, DC; and Jason Thompson of Crystal Springs, MS. The YAC members included: Adrian Abner of Blounstown, Fla.; LaShay Bennett (check spelling — may be Bennett) of Clemmons, N.C.; Nic Buron of St. Paul, Minn.; Megan Hays of Helena, Mont.; Patrick Murtagh of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Malavika Srinivasan of Beavercreek, Ohio; Tyson Suzuki of Honolulu, Hawaii; Gustavo Torres of Sacramento, Calif.; and David Trinnes of Solon, Ohio.