A: Catalyst is about action. We are fighting back against Big Tobacco – exposing its lies and manipulation through creative youth activism. Catalyst is a statewide network for youth advocates across Minnesota.
The movement is committed to taking action against the tobacco industry by creating change - changing policies, changing minds and eliminating Big Tobacco’s influence in our state.
A: Hmmm. Where do we start? This is an industry that talks about young people as “replacement customers,” more specifically, to replace the people who die everyday from using their products. Big Tobacco has been marketing a deadly product and has been lying to the public for decades.
Tobacco companies continue to stand in the way of smoke-free workplace policies and other efforts to protect public health, and they continue to contribute to the death of 1200 Americans every single day. Those are just a few of the reasons why we are fighting back.
If you need a few more, just check out what Big Tobacco has to say in our Tobacco Documents section. If you ever asked the question “Is the tobacco industry really that bad?” the documents they write will quickly answer that question.
A: Catalyst does all kinds of stuff. So there’s something for everyone. Catalyst provides training opportunities to train members take action in their communities and together at the state level. Catalyst members can apply to serve on our Youth Advisory Board, and to attend the annual Catalyst Summit. We also provide presentations and other materials to help activists organize community events and recruit new members to start local Catalyst chapters.
There are also different tobacco related issues to take action on – if you are interested in smoke-free workplaces, tobacco advertising in your community, or public education about tobacco use and the tobacco industry, Catalyst can help you find the information you need to get the word out in your area.
So, if you want to do something different than anyone else, tell us, we’ll help you do it. That means whether you like to talk, draw, paint, write, organize, lead, listen or learn, Catalyst is for you.
A: You're in the right place. Just join Catalyst online to get started. You'll have access to the members-only section of the site and will be able to set up your own profile and start networking with other Catalyst activists across the state. You'll also receive Catalyst updates about what is going on in your community and all over the state. And, feel free to email us at join@bethecatalyst.com if you have any specific questions right away.
A: Contrary to popular belief, we are not against smokers, we're against the people who produce the problem, the tobacco industry. We encourage anyone to get involved smoker or not.
A: No. Catalyst isn't about prohibition. We’re past that time in history. Making tobacco illegal isn't the solution. We do want to get rid of smoking in places where it affects non-smokers, but we're not talking about a complete ban on smoking and tobacco products. We're talking about protecting everyone's right to breathe clean air, helping people quit, and exposing the truth about Big Tobacco.
A: The Statewide Youth Mobilization Project is supported by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota as part of Prevention Minnesota, Blue Cross' long-term health improvement initiative that is working to tackle the root causes of preventable heart disease and cancer.
A: Yeah, yeah. We know the world is filled is problems, we've got our fair share as well, but you know we can't cover everything. So we thought about it, and we realized that tobacco use kills more people every year in the U.S. than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined. It kills nearly 5 million people every year worldwide, making it the #1 cause of preventable death. We figured, why not start with #1?
A: We’re flattered. Really. autographs@bethecatalyst.org