Danville Teen Recognized For Anti-Tobacco Advocacy

DANVILLE, CA — When Akshaj Molukutla of Danville was 7 years old, he almost lost his dad to a heart attack.

Molukutla's dad was smoking two packs per day and had been hooked on smoking since he was 16 years old. The heart attack was a warning sign for Molukutla's dad, and for his son, it was the beginning of a commitment to anti-tobacco advocacy.

"Every major event that was going to occur in my life was going to happen without my dad," said Molukutla, 13. "I'm only advocating for this because I don't want anybody else in the future generation to go through what I went through at a young age."

Molukutla was one of three Tri-Valley students named as National Youth and Young Adult Ambassadors by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Pleasanton students Connor Lam, 14, and Sophia Thompson, 14, were also chosen. More than 130 young people across 33 states were chosen.

Lam has a background in debate and became passionate about anti-tobacco advocacy when he was assigned to research the topic for debate. He's fought "for the next generation" before the Pleasanton City Council amid efforts to regulate vapes, or electronic cigarettes, and has targeted flavored tobacco products as a member of the Pleasanton Student Inter-Action Committee, he said.

Youth are very resourceful, Lam said. Some of his peers order products online, recruit adults to purchase tobacco products for them or re-sell vapes to make a profit, he said. Though students don't necessarily advertise that they vape, school grounds are littered with vapes and vape pods — containers for vape liquid.

"It just doesn't seem fair," he said. "What hurts me more is that we've been fighting this for so long."

As ambassadors, they will work with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids to advocate against vapes, or electronic cigarettes, and flavored tobacco products, which critics say were designed to appeal to youth. They will also have the opportunity to attend a five-day online training program to help them hone their advocacy, communication and leadership skills.

Lam and Molukutla are advocating to pass Senate Bill 793 to ban the retail sale of nearly all flavored tobacco products. The bill is moving through the California legislature and was amended in the Assembly last week.

But above all, Molukutla said, youth should be mindful of their health in the decisions they made.

"With education comes action," he said.