Philip Morris USA has supported positive youth development since the creation of its Youth Smoking Prevention department in 1998. Today that program has evolved to Underage Tobacco Prevention, and Altria’s tobacco operating companies invest in a range of programs to support their goal of helping reduce underage tobacco use. As part of these efforts, our tobacco operating companies have become leading funders of positive youth development in the U.S.
These investments focus on organizations and programs that emphasize kids' strengths, promote positive behaviors, connect youth with caring adults and enhance community-based resources for kids. These programs are designed to help kids develop the confidence and skills they need to avoid risky behaviors, such as underage tobacco use. Our tobacco companies also support adolescent tobacco cessation programs.
Our tobacco operating companies’ funding supports organizations that:
 | - provide evidence-based programs for kids like mentoring, life skills education and substance abuse prevention curricula;
- help national youth-serving organizations reach more young people, improve program quality and better measure their impact;
- help community leaders align youth programs and policies; and
- conduct research on effective positive youth development programs.
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IN THEIR WORDS
"We can't think of another funder that has both come to the table to help with planning the project and funded the process."
− Karen Pittman, Executive Director, Forum for Youth Investment
