| TOBACCO AWARENESS CAMPAIGN |
| An award winning Video, "THEY'RE RICH, YOU'RE DEAD" on the health, addictive and social aspects of smoking is available in English, Spanish and Mandarin (PAL and NTSC formats) at a very low (copying) cost as a public service. The Video can be obtained at copying cost by calling our reproduction company at 305-856-1245 or, if outside of the US, by e-mailing them at tapeorders@accordvideo.com Additional copies may be reproduced locally, if this is more convenient, provided they are not edited. The VIDEO includes testimonies from teen and adult smokers as to how smoking affected their lives and presents medically illustrated patient histories on each of the Surgeon General's Warnings with simple explanations of how smoking caused their diseases (pathogenesis). Although the Video is explicitly graphic, it presents unedited medical TRUTH that is meant to be viewed by at risk adolescents BEFORE they become doomed for life by a casual and uninformed decision to smoke! A VIDEO STUDY PLAN CD-ROM ( which can be printed out) serves as a companion to the Video. It is also available at non-profit copying cost (see above) and can also be copied locally if not edited. It contains answers to 50 of the most common questions asked about smoking and is illustrated with 60 color slides and 50 Video clips (i.e. 90 minutes of high quality video).The questions addressed include: What are cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, coronary heart disease and complications of pregnancy, how does smoking cause them and how do you know if a smoker has them? How do you know that the Surgeon General's warnings are true? If tobacco is so bad why is it legal? What is the risk you will get addicted if you start smoking only occasionally? How does smoking hurt me right now as a teenager? How can teenage smokers have been prevented from starting? How can I be helped to quit smoking? How can I help my parents quit? What are the short and long term health risks if you don't quit? What are the short and long term health benefits if you do quit? What are the hazards of breathing second hand smoke? Is smoking low tar cigarettes, pipes, cigars or marijuana safer? How do families influence smokers? How do smokers hurt their families? etc. As stated, these answers are illustrated with slide and video clip examples. The Video and Video Study Plan may be previewed roughly and in part on our website www.mededu.miami.edu/Tobacco A rapid internet connection and the plug-in "Real Player" are required to view the Video. Comments from educators and adolescents regarding the Video and copying costs for all materials are found in the Video Study Plan on pages 74-78 and 85-87 respectively. ( see web version ) OUR PROPOSED TOBACCO AWARENESS COMMUNITY PROJECT AND THE TEACHING MATERIALS WITH WHICH IT IS IMPLEMENTED ARE VERY SIMPLE AND TEACHER FRIENDLY: 1. A health professional or allied health professional student presents the VIDEO to an adolescent audience of his/her choice (usually in a middle school) and then answers audience questions. 2. The Video Study Plan is reviewed beforehand by the presenter since it contains illustrated answers to most of the questions that are asked after the Video is shown. (The Video Study Plan can also stand alone as an illustrated review of smoking prevention and cessation.) OUR AIM IS TO ENCOURAGE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL AND ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS TO IMPLEMENT TOBACCO AWARENESS PROJECTS TARGETING YOUTHS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING THE ABOVE DESCRIBED TEACHING MATERIALS AT A VERY LOW COPYING COST (with permission to make additional copies locally). Participants will learn a lot about smoking related diseases, addiction, prevention and cessation and at the same time perform an invaluable community service. Statistics clearly bear out that smoking prevention among adolescents is one of the greatest public health opportunities of our time! Arthur Pitchenik MD Professor, University of Miami School of Medicine Director, Tobacco Awareness Community Program Targeting Youth @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ ANOTHER PREVENTION ------> VIDEO (BY RONALD PETERSON) |
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| Updated 4/10/06 |