Senator Lewis Honored with Legacy Award by the Wakefield Unified Prevention Coalition

BOSTON—State Senator Jason Lewis was presented with a Legacy Award by the Wakefield Unified Prevention Coalition (Wake-Up Coalition) for his longstanding commitment to public health, prevention, and youth well-being. The award was presented to Senator Lewis at the 11th annual Community Impact Celebration and Awards in Wakefield on May 20, 2026.

The Wake-Up Coalition selected Senator Lewis for the Legacy Award because of his longstanding leadership, advocacy, and commitment to substance use prevention. The award not only honors his years of service to the people of Wakefield, but also his legacy of compassion and support for the community.

Subscribe

"I have been proud to work with the Wake-Up Coalition and other similar local organizations to advance policies and programs that make our communities safer and healthier," said Senator Jason Lewis. "Their work engaging with our young people especially is critical work that helps reduce risky behaviors, including alcohol consumption, tobacco and nicotine use, other drugs, and gambling. I greatly appreciate all that they do and am very grateful for this recognition."

Maureen Buzby, the Regional Tobacco Inspection Coordinator, presented Senator Lewis with the Legacy Award. "Jason is a model legislator and politician. Not afraid to buck the system, always willing to roll up his sleeves and dig in—no matter how large or small the issue is," said Buzby in her remarks. "We will miss him at the State House next year, but we [...] recognize his efforts and his impact on improving our state, our municipalities, and the lives of all Massachusetts residents."

"We are deeply grateful to Senator Jason Lewis for his longstanding commitment to substance use prevention and his unwavering advocacy for policies that protect young people from harmful substances like nicotine and alcohol," said Elizabeth Parsons, the Prevention, Outreach and Youth Services Manager in Wakefield. "His leadership at the state level has helped advance healthier, safer communities, and his impact will be felt by Wakefield residents for years to come. It is an honor to recognize Senator Lewis with the Wake-Up Coalition Legacy Award for his dedication to improving the well-being of our youth and families."

The Wake-Up Coalition, led by the Wakefield Health and Human Services Department, aims to address and reduce the community factors that lead to high-risk behavior in youth populations. The group is made up of community members, providers, public officials, and others dedicated to promoting a healthy environment for Wakefield youth and families. Their strategies include increasing community education, addressing physical environmental concerns, updating public policy, and building support skills for community members.

Senator Lewis is a long-time advocate for equitable access to healthcare and for policies that promote prevention and wellness, especially for young people. In 2018, he led the charge to raise the age to purchase nicotine and tobacco products in Massachusetts from 18 to 21 and the following year he helped ban the sale of flavored nicotine and tobacco products that are often targeted at young people. He is currently leading the fight for a "Nicotine-Free Generation" (NFG) law that would generationally phase out the legal sale of all nicotine and tobacco products in Massachusetts. With the support of groups like the Wake-Up Coalition, NFG policies have already been enacted at the local level in all six of the communities that Senator Lewis represents.