On October 7, 2025, roughly 150 middle and high school students and their advisors from Bismarck and beyond gathered at the Bismarck Event Center for the Break Free Youth Action Summit—a free, full-day event powered by Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health and Tobacco Free North Dakota aimed at equipping youth to push back against tobacco and vaping in their schools and communities.
Tobacco and e-cigarette use remain a pressing public health challenge, especially among youth. While traditional smoking rates have declined, vaping among high school students in North Dakota lingers near 18 %—double that of adult usage (9 %) per the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
In Bismarck, the “Break Free” youth board already engages high schoolers to lead peer education, school campaigns, and awareness efforts.
The summit is part education, part activism boot camp: speakers, workshops, and strategy sessions help students develop campaigns for events like the Great American Smokeout (Nov. 20) and Great American Spit Out (Feb. 19, 2026).
Keynote guest Samuel Allen, a youth advocacy leader from the national Truth Initiative, will join local “Truth Champions” to share national-level tactics and inspire local change.
We are excited … providing students new ways to learn about the role they play in advocating for a healthier tomorrow.”
At the summit, students will sharpen messaging skills, map out school-level interventions, and learn how to influence policy or school board decisions.
