19-year-old gives tobacco testimony

Nineteen year old Brandon Dorn recently sat down with the Ag Center's Communities of Color Network to share his experience with tobacco and why he chose to stop smoking. Here is his story:

Brandon Dorn is only 19 years old, but he’s experienced numerous hardships which led him down an undesirable path.  With mounting pressures at school and home, Dorn began using tobacco four years ago because, he said, it was “something to do and it calmed my nerves.”  Although it was something to do at the time, Dorn said, he soon realized smoking wasn’t the right thing to do—at least not for him.   

 “I stopped because I have a future!  I had scouts coming to watch me play basketball and football, and I had to get myself into shape.  I didn’t want to ruin my chance of going to college and an opportunity for a better life.  If I could go to college, then I could really go somewhere and achieve my dreams.  A lot of people helped me out; I didn’t want to disappoint them.  I didn’t want them to know that I was hurting myself by smoking, so I just stopped.  I could smoke if I wanted to, but I really don’t want to smoke anymore!” he said.

“I would tell other young people, if you have a future and know you can do something with your life—smoking is not a wise choice.  Smoking should not be a part of your life at all.  It will not benefit you.”

For more information tobacco risks, contact Linda Early Brown, M.Ed., Communities of Color Network, (225) 771-2242 or linda_brown@suagcenter.com