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Smoke-Savvy Teens
Teens Share Their Thoughts on Smoking
By Carma Haley Shoemaker
Mallory's parents sent a clear message about smoking and health. "They have told me before that I shouldn't [smoke]," she says. "I run cross-country and track and I know that smoking will disable me from doing well in these sports. So I use common sense and I don't smoke."
Anti-smoking advertisements have bombarded teens with vivid images: body bags around a tobacco company's home office and ticker boards that offer smoking statistics rather then stock prices. And teens have taken notice.
"I love the 'TRUTH' ads," says Alaina, a 13-year-old from Batavia, Ill. "I think they're awesome and really creative. If [teens] haven't noticed them yet, they probably will soon, because they are very popular where I live. I think that if they haven't started having the effect they are meant to have, they will in the near future."