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Newsletter - Fall 2000 | |
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RAISE YOUR VOICE AGAINST VIRGINIA SLIMS Philip Morris is at it again - help us stop them from luring youth into tobacco addiction by joining our letter writing campaign against the "Find Your Voice" advertisements for Virginia Slims cigarettes. These deceptive ads depict young women finding "personal empowerment" through the act of smoking. Join KICK BUTTS by writing to the editors of the magazines listed below, and RAISE YOUR VOICE against Philip Morris and Virginia Slims. Tell them that (1) they should be ashamed for trying to addict youth, (2) they are sending terrible messages to young women, and (3) your thoughts on the glamorization of smoking. Pick up your pens and KICK some BUTT! After all- how do you "Find Your Voice" when you are losing it? LATINA Attn: Diana Velez - Advertising Manager Vibe Attn: John Rollins - Publisher Glamour Attn: Mary G. Berner - Publisher Please send copies of your letters to: Youth from throughout Los Angeles County were sweethearts this past February 14th by participating in the National Valentines Day Postcard Event. Students from Roosevelt H.S., Pomona H.S., the Caroledale Learning Center, Shenandoah E.S., the Girls Club of Los Angeles, and the Boys and Girls Club of the West San Gabriel Valley mailed hundreds of postcard sized "valentines" to members of Congress, state senators, and to Governor Gray Davis, urging them to be "sweethearts" by supporting comprehensive tobacco prevention programs. Programs like KICK BUTTS are our best chance to educate young adults, and eliminate teen smoknig. We need our representatives to know that being "smoke-free" is the way to be. A big thank you goes out to all of you who were cupids and sent valentines to your legislators-SWEET!!! The Girls Club of Los Angeles KICKED BUTT and won our anti-tobacco poster contest! The girls, spearheaded by Tiffany Applewhite and Gabrielle Chess, redisigned two actual cigarette advertisement found in on of their favorite magazines, to depict the real effects of tobacco use. As a prize for their BUTT KICKING posters, the Girls Club had a pizza party. Way to go, girls! Did you knwo that February 21st through the 25th was NAtional Lose the Chew Week? Some youth don't realize that chewing tobacco is another form of nicotine abuse, just like smoking cigars or cigarettes. In fact, smokeless tobacco use has grown tenfold among young makes between the ages 17-19, because they think it's not as dangerous as cigarettes. Serious health risks such as cancer of the mouth and throat, heart disease and even stroke are increased through chewing tobacco use. If the threat of mortality doesn't scare you - chewing tobacco also causes bad breath, and an increase in saliva, which means that users have to spit often... (not impressibe on a first date!) Tell those you care about to "Lose the Chew". For help kicking chewing tobacco addiction, call the Tobacco Chewers' Helpline at (800) 844-CHEW. Students at the Caroledale Learning Community in Carson know how to KICK BUTT! On Thursday, January 25th, the students held an Anti-Tobacco Day Health Fair. The health fair was entirely conceived and organized by the students themselves. Highlights of the event included an awards ceremony for the most innovative anti-smoking poster drawn by fellow students, a festive game of "pin the tail on the no-smoking sign". An anti-smoking skit, written and performed by the students was also performed earlier in the week to help kick off the event. This unique project was brought about as a continued effort to fight "big tobacco" and their attempts to lure children and young adults into becoming the next generation nicotine addicts. The students at Caroledale are an inspiration for their talent, energy, and their commitment to KICK BUTTS! Bidis are deadly! Bidis (or beedees/beadies) may seem at first glance to be an unlikely cause for alarm - but these inexpensive, miniature, sweetly flavored, marijuana shaped cigarettes are deadly. Under the belief that tey are "all-natural" (the vanilla and strawberry flavored varieties are even soldin health food stores), and because they are easy to obtain, an alarming rate of young adults have taken up the bidi habit. The truth is: bidis have 2 to 3 times the tar, and 7 times the amount of nicotine found in name brand cigarettes. Yet, even with these frightening statistics, 70% of bidi brands do not print the federally required health warning labels on their packages. Don't be fooled by bidis! Bidis kill!
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