Acclaimed as the best and most up-to-date video for families on youth smoking prevention. This multimedia presentation has award-winning TV spots, film clips, photos and graphics, and includes a live talk by Patrick Reynol... more »ds to 1,000 ninth graders. A Talk With Your Kids About Smoking helps empower youth to stay tobacco free and drug free. View this video together with your children, and use the included Parent's Discussion Guide to discuss afterwards. The video emphasizes the addictiveness of nicotine, and opens students' eyes to how tobacco advertising manipulates youth. Tobacco ads are shown for candy-flavored Camels -- 'Warm Winter Toffee', 'Kauai Kolada', and 'Winter Mocha Mint'. Also shown are KOOL's cigarettes packages with drawings of hip hop artists, rappers and DJ's on the cigarette pack. One KOOL pack even shows a youth party going on on the package. Reynolds tells the 9th grade audience that the tobacco industry knows that 90% of all US smokers became addicted before reaching age 19, and almost no one starts after age 19 -- so they have targeted youth in many ad campaigns. The video also creates a new perception of smoking in films, and asks students to be aware that stars are setting a bad example for them every time they make smoking look cool onscreen. A Talk With Your Kids About Smoking also motivates teens to resist peer pressure; it provides them with a clear formula for saying no. It also empowers students to make more responsible choices about drugs and alcohol. Reynolds stresses the importance of talking to others about quitting smoking or about any concerns, and not isolating. He urges students, Don t escape with whatever is bothering you by smoking, using drugs or alcohol, or overeating. Instead, talk to others about it -- a trusted teacher, your parents, your friends, or the school counselor. Don t try solve problems alone people who succeed best get help and ask others." This is a recurring theme. Mr. Reynolds also employs storytelling in the video. He skillfully tells the dramatic story of Sean Marsee, a promising high school track star who started using chewing tobacco in his mid teens, became addicted and died of mouth and jaw cancer at age 19. In the video Reynolds shows heartbreaking before-and-after photos of the boy, who lived in Oklahoma in the 1970's. This section makes a very compelling case, especially to younger children, to avoid tobacco. Reynolds also offers youth a unique, informal initiation into life. Thousands of years ago, elders would take youth into the forest or desert and make their lives uncomfortable for a few days, depriving them of sleep or food, and putting obstacles in their path. Don t worry, I won t do that today, he tells them. What the elders were trying to say is that life will bring difficulties and obstacles, and it's painful at times. Today, as I welcome you a little closer to the world of adults, I want to gently let you know that life brings all adults difficulties. And when the hard moments come, sadly, some turn to alcohol or tobacco -- or drugs, which will destroy your life! Instead, talk to your parents, a trusted teacher, your friends, or the school counselor. Connect with another person, and together we will solve the problem. Studies show that today s teens have significantly increased worries and doubts about the future. They remember September 11th, and hear about global warming, bird flu and war in the Middle East. Mr. Reynolds believes the new worry among our youth is a significant factor in teen smoking and drug use. To address this, he includes a unique section near the end of the video which aims to strengthen teens' faith in the future. Catch my faith that there are wondrous times ahead, and you ll need your health, every precious bit of it, in the incredible years ahead of you."« less
