Meets Teens On Their Level (NAPSA)—For manyteens, the teenage years are a time of rebellion and experimentation—and smoking is one way teens challenge authority. The truth youth smoking pre- vention campaign reaches teens effectively by never telling them what to do—or what not to do— even when it comes to the decision to smoke. Instead, the campaign seeks to become a part of teens’ everyday lives through the televi- sion programs they watch, the Web sites they visit, and by having a presence at concerts and events where teens naturally gather. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the successful public health campaign—most known for a series of iconic, provocative television ads highlighting tobacco-related information and tobacco industry tactics. According to research recently published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, truth was responsible for 450,000 fewer youth smokers in a four-year period. Every year, the campaign sends out a team of young adults to travel the country and meet up with teens at concerts, skate- parks, malls and other events. The truth crew members create a fun, dynamic atmosphere that makes it easier to discuss tobacco issues in a nonpreachy way. Most tour stops feature the distinctive orange truth truck and zone, where teens gather to have fun. In the zone, crew members: Hold fashion shows, dance contests and freestyle rap “battles”; Teach DJ lessons through “Scratch Academy.” A group of DJs school newcomers on the funda- truth crew membersin action on the campaign’s national tour. mentals of DJ'ing, scratching and mixing music; Play games; Distribute truth “gear”— fashionable, trendy items like Tshirts, hats and backpacksreflecting tobaccofacts. Every year, the tour reaches more than 500,000 teens in person during the course of its 70-odd- city cross-country tour. To learn more, visit www. thetruth.com. SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT YOUTH AND TOBACCO eNearly 80 percentof all smokers have theirfirst cigarette before age 18, and nearly 90 percentof all smokers begin before age 20. One-third of all smokers began before the age of 14. Twenty-seven percent of youthslive in a householdwith at least one smoker. e Nine times more youths wholive with a smokerare exposedto daily secondhand smoke in aroom and/orin a car than those wholive in a nonsmoker household (40 percent versus 5 percent). To learn more, visit www.thetruth.com.
