Osceola SWAT and Partnership Secure St. Cloud Tobacco-Free Parks Ordinance

Osceola SWAT successfully advocated for and helped St. Cloud City Commissioners pass Ordinance 2026-28, expanding the city's smoke-free rules to the St. Cloud Lakefront Park! Commissioners voted 5-0. This ordinance passed due to the extensive work that SWAT and the Partnership have put into collaborating with the City of St. Cloud. The SWAT youth attended multiple public comment meetings, using litter from their park cleanup events at Lakefront Park in St. Cloud as data to advocate for the ordinance. The ordinance was quickly put on the agenda, and SWAT youth were invited to speak with commissioners in chambers, where they were applauded for their civic participation and given an opportunity to learn more about local government. This ultimately resulted in a strong, beneficial partnership between SWAT and their local government. The SWAT youth got their policy win and learned the power of their voices as young leaders in their community. Osceola SWAT will be using this experience to advocate for an ordinance at the county level.

Following their win, Tobacco Free Osceola Partnership members and Osceola SWAT youth came together to organize a park cleanup at Shingle Creek Park in Kissimmee. Together, they collected tons of tobacco and EVP litter that they will use as data to advocate for an Osceola County Tobacco-Free Parks Ordinance.