At the time that X Cigarettes were being marketed, smoking rates among African American teenagers were at an all-time low. Leaders at NAAAPI and COST knew that although the budget for this cigarette may not have been high, marginal success would encourage tobacco companies to market similar products. There were also reports that X cigarettes were being sold in Harlem in New York City.

Because the Uptown Coalition for Tobacco Control and Public health set a precedent in 1990, this new battle was less daunting for NAAAPI and COST. Michele Williams, Coordinator of the Women's Tobacco Education Project in Massachusetts, mobilized people in and around the Boston area by calling, faxing, writing letters, holding community forums, and utilizing the media. COST was instrumental in providing church based smoking education, prevention, and cessation programs.

During Boston's Black History Month in February 1995, NAAAPI was featured because of its victory against Uptown Cigarettes. NAAAPI leaders helped plan strategies and used the media to publicize the struggle. Because of NAAAPI's success in organizing this protest, the manufacturers of X cigarettes received complaints from all over the country. Although the cigarettes were recalled, tobacco manufacturers continued to deny that African Americans were targeted, or that the cigarettes were being distributed in predominantly African American communities.

This battle against X cigarettes, like the struggle against Uptown, demonstrated four key points:
*Smokers need to be involved in the coalition (they're the ones who are targeted).
*Youth need to be made aware of how advertisers manipulate them.
*African American communities must not depend on, and refuse to be exploited by tobacco companies.
*In order to succeed, collaboration is a must (combining resources).