April 22, 1998
Super hero blasts smoking; asks kids to snuff out habit
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
A super hero flew into Traverse City this week, dashing from school to school on an important mission: kicking butts out of kids hands and stopping others from smoking.
The "Extinguisher," an antismoking super hero of the American Medical Association, visited eight area elementary schools Monday and Tuesday, spreading his message to nearly 1,000 third- and fourth-graders. Brought to the area by the Grand Traverse, Leelanau and Benzie County Medical Society and Alliance, the Extinguisher travels nationwide to explain to kids the perils of smoking.
"This is just one way physicians and their spouses try to meet the health care needs of the community," said Janet Gregory of Peninsula Township, a k a "Dr. Nola Know," the Extinguisher's sidekick for the day. "The AMA wants to reach kids at this age."
Kids whose own parents smoke face an even greater risk, she said, because of the exposure to secondhand smoke and of the example set by their parents. The Extinguisher's advice: Ask your parents to quit.
"My dad smokes; it gives you bad breath," said Nicole Hartley, a fourth-grader at Sabin Elementary School. "I have asked him to quit."
Hartley and her classmates have heard the antismoking message before. But with nearly a fifth of the audience at Sabin Elementary School admitting to trying tobacco at least once, the need to reach this age group - again and again - is critical, the Extinguisher said. In that regard, Sabin students are similar to their peers around the country.
"The kids know the bad stuff about cigarettes, but they don't hear it every day, like they are surrounded by cigarette advertising," the Extinguisher said. "It is just a matter of reinforcing the message because it tends to go live somewhere else."
It comes down to advertising and sneaky policies on the part of tobacco companies, the Extinguisher claimed. "It is an investment to get the kids hooked, to get their money in the future," he said.
Another way companies draw kids into smoking is through merchandise, he claimed. Product catalogues include clothing, coats and sporting equipment, all emblazoned with the cigarette company logo, which creates brand loyalty, he claimed.
"There are lots of products you can get from a catalogue for Camel dollars," Hartley the fourth-grader said. "You get one Camel dollar per pack. It's really awful."
At the end of the presentation, students were invited to enter a poster/paragraph contest. The winners with the best antismoking picture and antismoking message will get to ride on the fire engine in this year's National Cherry Festival parade.