Every year, more than 400,000
Americans and more than 5 million people worldwide are killed by tobacco, a
number that makes smoking cigarettes the leading cause of preventable death. Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids, a
501(c)(3) non-profit organization funded by private donations, works toward
fighting tobacco smoking especially where it concerns children's health.
Established in 1996, the
non-profit organization does not accept funding from the government and the
tobacco industry, a necessary move to maintain its independence, credibility
and integrity. Instead, it relies on contributions from private individuals,
corporations and philanthropic foundations as well as other non-profit
organizations.
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free
Kids prides itself on leading the fight against tobacco use in many ways. Their
programs are geared toward the promotion of public policies for the reduction
of tobacco use and exposure to second-hand, even third-hand, smoke; strengthen tobacco
control via the provision of support and information to its partners; and
empowerment of the present generation by fostering their leadership and
activism.