Local Students’ Artwork Exposes Big Tobacco’s Efforts to Target Youth

April 2nd, 2008

30×20 Mural Dedicated Today in Observance of Kick Butts Day

New Orleans area youth are among thousands of youth across Louisiana and the country who are taking part in Kick Butts Day today, Wednesday, April 2. Kick Butts Day is a nationwide initiative that makes young people leaders in the effort to stop youth tobacco use. As part of the Kick Butts Day celebration in the New Orleans area, student winners of a citywide, Kick Butts Day art contest were announced. Lauren Reeks, a 10th grade student at Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans, won the competition with original artwork depicting the 2008 Kick Butts Day Theme, Big Tobacco: Making Profits, Taking Lives, bringing attention to the tobacco industrys deceptive marketing practices that target youth. The artwork has been replicated by the Orleans Parish Prison Art Program as a 30×20 mural on a warehouse/canvas visible to thousands of I-10 commuters each day.

In Louisiana alone, the tobacco industry spends $291.5 million dollars each year to aggressively market tobacco products. And while cigarette companies claim they have stopped intentionally marketing to or targeting youth in their research and promotional efforts, they continue to advertise cigarettes and other tobacco products, such as candy and fruit flavored cigarettes, in ways that reach young people—advertisements in national magazines with high youth readership, sponsorship of community events, concerts and festivals, and heavy display advertising at convenience stores and gas stations near schools and playgrounds.

Take a good look around the next time you visit a neighborhood convenience store or gas station, said John Butts, New Orleans Area Regional Coordinator of the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living. You wont have to look far to see the abundance of tobacco products advertised in store windows both inside and out, and point of purchase advertising and tobacco promotions such as price discounts and branded gifts with a purchase, many placed at the eye level of children and displayed right next to the candy. The tobacco advertising is blatant and young people are the intended target. The result: each year more than 13 million packs of cigarettes are purchased or smoked by Louisiana youth, according to The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

The tobacco companies make smoking look cool in their ads, but thats nothing but a lie, said Lauren Reeks, winner of the 2008 Kick Butts Day art contest. Theres nothing cool about bad breath, smelly clothes and tobacco-stained teeth. Tobacco kills and kids need to be aware.

“Lauren’s artwork reminds us that youth are very vulnerable to tobacco ads. The Orleans Parish Prison Art Program is pleased to provide a canvas to educate youth and adults alike about the addictive and catastrophic health consequences of tobacco,” said Marlin Gusman, Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff.

Two second place contest winners, Katie Boleware and Julie Cao, and a third place winner, Ariana Rupp, all from New Orleans, were also recognized. All entries were judged and scored by a committee of the Greater New Orleans Cancer and Tobacco Control Coalition.

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, killing more than 400,000 people every year. Among those are approximately 6,400 Louisianans who die from tobacco-related diseases annually. More than 7,700 youth in Louisiana become new daily smokers each year. Ultimately 109,000 Louisiana youth (currently under the age of 18) will die prematurely from smoking.

Our youth are a powerful part of the solution to reducing youth tobacco use, said John Butts, New Orleans Area Regional Coordinator for the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living. Today, on Kick Butts Day, students send two important messages: they want the tobacco industry to stop targeting them with blatant advertising and they want their elected leaders to do more to protect them and their loved ones from tobacco and secondhand smoke.

For more information about the Kick Butts Day art dedication, contact John Butts at 504.905.7609 or jbutts@lphi.org.

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