"It is important to know as much as possible about teenage smoking patterns and attitudes. Today's teenager is tomorrow's potential regular customer . . .” 1981 Philip Morris market research report on young smokers. . : . Each day, about 4,000 kids try their first cigarette; and each day another 1,000 other kids under 18 years of age become new regular, daily smokers. That’s 416,000 new underage daily smokers each year. . : . 90 percent of all adult smokers begin while in their teens, or earlier, and nearly two-thirds become regular, daily smokers before they reach the age of 19. . : . The cigarette companies spend more than $15.1 billion each year to promote their deadly products – that's more than $41 million spent every day to market cigarettes, and much of that marketing directly reaches and influences kids. . : . More than 6.3 million children under age 18 alive today will eventually die from smoking-related disease, unless current rates are reversed. Source: CDC, State Highlights 2006. . : . 440,000 people die from tobacco-related illnesses every year, making it the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

HERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU:

ARE YOU SICK OF SEEING TOBACCO ADVERTISEMENTS EVERYWHERE YOU GO?

ARE YOU SICK OF PEOPLE YOU CARE ABOUT DYING OF TOBACCO’S DEADLY DISEASES?

ARE YOU TOO SMART TO BE TRICKED BY MANIPULATING TOBACCO ADVERTISEMENTS?


Then keep reading, ‘cause this is the place for you!

 

Reality Check is a youth action project within the Tobacco Control Program that is committed to exposing the manipulative and deceptive marketing practices of the tobacco industry.


Reality Check strives to change the social norm regarding tobacco by de-normalizing and deglamorizing tobacco, tobacco use and the tobacco industry.


Reality Check provides youth with skills and strategies to alert their peers, community members and community leaders to recognize that:

Reality Check is not anti-smoker; it is anti-smoking, anti-tobacco use and anti-tobacco industry.


Reality Check is made up of teens from every county in New York State who want to tell the tobacco industry it can no longer target teens and young adults without any resistance.


 

YOU CAN USE YOUR VOICE
YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT
YOU CAN BE A LEADER IN YOUR COMMUNITY
JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST BIG TOBACCO!



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Reality Check of St. Lawrence County -- 2 Riverside Drive -- Canton, NY 13676 -- 315.379.1211