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Up in smoke?
[Photo: AP]
Anthony Kee, left, from Flagler County and Anthony Roberts from Daytona Beach, both members of Students Working Against Tobacco, call legislators during the October session to protest budget cuts that would hurt Florida’s Tobacco Control program. |
By AUTUMN N. SIEGEL
© St. Petersburg Times,
published November 5, 2001
State budget cuts may end teen campaign against smoking, but SWAT members vow to continue fighting cigarette companies' attempts to manipulate youth.
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"Truth is our message. SWAT is the messenger."
That's the theme of the statewide, student-run anti-smoking campaign SWAT, which stands for Students Working Against Tobacco. But the Florida Legislature killed the messenger last week as it cut $14.5-million from the tobacco program in a round of budget slashing.
"The proposed new cuts would destroy the program, including its acclaimed "truth' television ads and vital education and community partnership programs," says Jennifer Fleming of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
The state's Department of Health released its latest "truth" commercial, aimed at Philip Morris' recent ads featuring the company's charitable contributions, on the same day lawmakers in a special Legislative session delivered the cuts.
Gov. Jeb Bush could veto the teen program cuts, part of $800-million in reductions to the state budget approved last week, and ask the Legislature to reconvene to fix the budget shortfalls. Even if that happens, it is thought unlikely the anti-tobacco funds would be restored.
Students and other advocates are outraged.
"There was a rumor going around that this was one of the first programs cut because it's youth run, and they underestimated the power of teenagers," says Cathy Molenda, 17-year-old Pinellas County student representative for SWAT. "All they look at is the bad kids, instead of thinking there might also be some good kids. We're all working for a common good: We're a generation united against tobacco."
SWAT, founded in 1998 by Gov. Lawton Chiles after the state of Florida won its landmark settlement with tobacco companies, uses rallies, education programs and its Web site (www.wholetruth.com) to spread its message about the dangers of tobacco and what it says are the myths of tobacco advertising.
[Photo courtesy of Katie Cole]
Florida SWAT representatives write messages to tobacco companies at the SWAT Summit meeting in Orlando in June.
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Students join SWAT clubs because they have had friends or family members die from tobacco-related illnesses. Others join because they support healthful lifestyles. The loss of funding is especially painful to advocates, upset because they believe SWAT is so effective. "Since (the program) was started in 1998, Florida has reduced smoking by 47 percent among middle school students and 30 percent among high school students," says Fleming.
"This is really unsettling," said Citrus County Tobacco Prevention Coordinator Frank Mattera shortly before the cuts were approved. If the cuts go through as expected, "We're pretty much done for."
SWAT has been successful, says Cathy Molenda, a senior at Palm Harbor University High School, because the tobacco-free alliance promotes awareness in teenagers of the harmful effects of smoking. Cathy Molenda is the SWAT student representative from Pinellas County.
"But we never say, "Don't smoke,' " she says. "That's a personal decision. We only try to make people understand that the tobacco companies are manipulating them. And I tell you, teens do not like to think that they are being manipulated, because they don't want someone else controlling their lives."
Katie Cole, 17, a senior at Lecanto High School and the Citrus County student representative for SWAT, says she got involved in the organization because she has always disliked the smell of smoke. "Before I was even 10 years old I knew that I did not like tobacco. I can vividly remember having to walk out of restaurants because the stench was so bad that I could not breathe."
Cathy joined SWAT in the eighth grade. "When the organization was started, my teacher chose four students to go to the state kickoff, but she tried to pick kids that would actually get involved and stick with it. I have been an officer ever since and a student representative for two years."
The tobacco-free alliance targeted ages 11-17, middle and high school students. "Clubs are established in any associations or schools with youth of that age range," Katie says. "Some Boys and Girls Clubs have them. Withlacoochee Technical Institute has them. Girl Scouts USA just got them."
At several recent SWAT rallies, the members didn't force the issue, but they combined their message with fun in a safe environment. At one rally in Citrus County there were limbo contests, and T-shirts were tossed into the crowd during a trivia question-and-answer session. Citrus County also has sponsored athletic events, bowling nights and most recently a "Kick Ash Bash" dance. The Pinellas SWAT has hosted black-light volleyball games and an annual "Stand Off Beach Olympics."
SWAT members try to go anywhere kids might be, ranging from concerts to the YMCA. "We brought one of the Truth Trucks to the Last Damn Show," at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. "We handed out all of the T-shirts, backpacks and hats to any middle or high school age kids," says Cathy. "A lot of people asked me if it was really worth it, but you know, if just three or four of those people went home and thought about staying tobacco-free, then it was worth it for me."
The group's current initiative is "SWAT Goes to Hollywood." Students are watching movies rated PG-13, PG or G to see if the actors smoke on screen. "A lot more of the actors are portraying common people as smokers, but, in fact, most people do not smoke. Isn't it always the non-smokers who have to wait for tables in restaurants?" says Katie.
"So, we are taking a stand. We are going to get permission from movie rental stores to put stickers on videos that promote healthy lifestyles."
SWAT members actually took their message right to Hollywood as well. Katie Cole was chosen at the annual SWAT state summit meeting as one of 10 students to act in a commercial that aired this summer on MTV.
Attendance at SWAT meetings varies from club to club. Citrus County currently has 11 clubs, Pinellas has six. To attract interest, clubs take out advertisements in school newspapers, put up posters and use other methods. "Tarpon Springs High School had a float in their Homecoming Parade. That was really great," Cathy Molenda says.
"As long as tobacco companies are going to be manipulating young people, we're going to keep that awareness out there. Yes, we'll take a big hit from the budget cuts, but we're going to keep delivering that message of truth."
- Information from staff and wire reports was used in this story.
-- Autumn Siegel, 13, is a home-schooled freshman in Beverly Hills.
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