YOUTH ADVOCATES "EXPOSE TOBACCO INDUSTRY DECEIT!"
Solano's youth have always played an important part in our advocacy efforts since the Tobacco Education Coalition was
established in 1990. Over the years we've worked with dozens of local schools, 4-H Clubs, Youth Takin' On Tobacco & More,
Continentals of Omega Boys and Girls Club, Friday Night Live, Boy Scouts, Fighting Back Youth Partnership and Campfire Girls and
Boys.
Local youth have supported tobacco-free campaigns, spoken to city councils, rallied at the state Capitol to be smoke free and participated in various surveys about tobacco products, advertising and sales to minors. Most recently, local students took part in a media project to raise public awareness about tobacco marketing tactics. Participants in the Media Project were from Vallejo Fighting Back's Youth Partnership, Mare Island Technology Institute in Vallejo, Armijo High School in Fairfield and Solano Community College.
Media Project - The "5 W's" 
Who is targeted by the tobacco industry? Teens, 18-24 year olds, minorities (African-Americans and Hispanics) military, young
women and low socio-economic groups.
What: Students produced newspaper and magazine or electronic media describing the tobacco industry's deceptive
advertising and marketing strategies.
Why: Almost 50 years ago, the US Surgeon General warned that cigarettes were hazardous to our health, but the tobacco
industry simply dug in, denied and spent more money on advertising and promoting their products, claiming "light" cigarettes
were safer. Finally in 2009, half a century after the Surgeon General's first warning, the FDA banned fruit and candy flavored cigarettes and "light" and "ultra-light"
cigarettes. Meanwhile, every year another 400,000 people die prematurely from tobacco-related diseases. This generation will
have the knowledge to see through the tobacco industry's deceptive marketing tactics.
How: The Tobacco industry has pioneered and perfected strategies to successfully deceive the public for nearly a century.
Many tactics haven't changed, for example, using movie stars like John Wayne and Sylvester Stallone to smoke in movies.
The Media Project exposes tobacco industry deceit.
When: The Media Project started July 1, 2007 and concluded June 30, 2010.
Where: Contact Marilyn Sexton for more information or to participate in new advocacy projects including a campaign to ban menthol cigarettes and fruit flavored smokeless tobacco products. Take Action!
To enlarge, click on photo
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Smoking Sucks The Life Right Out Of YOU!
Fairfield High School students helped design the
poster and T-shirts for a campaign to NOT share cigarettes with friends.
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The tobacco industry spends nearly $13 Billion a year to market its deadly, addictive products.
Most smokers tried their first cigarette at age 13.
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