The Truth about Tobacco
A new educational video for 7th - 12th grades

 

Russell Henke, Evaluator of Health Education Materials in Montgomery County, Maryland, sent this message to Tobacco Use Prevention Coordinators in Maryland:

"I have recently reviewed and evaluated a tobacco use prevention video that I would like to tell you about, "The Truth about Tobacco," which features Patrick Reynolds. He is a grandson of RJ Reynolds, and a renowned tobacco prevention speaker at schools throughout the nation.

"This video, which shows a live talk to high school students by Mr. Reynolds, is a compelling and honest overview of the health problems caused by tobacco. The video is an excellent fit with our high school unit on tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. It meets all of our factual information objectives on tobacco use. It is the best and most up-to-date video on the topic of teen and adult tobacco use. It has no weaknesses! In my opinion, after viewing many similar videos, it is the best video available.

"As a result of our review and evaluation, we are purchasing this video for all of our high schools. We are also thinking of bringing Patrick Reynolds in to speak to our students 'live' and are now exploring getting sponsorship through the local County health department and/or our local hospitals. Evidently hospitals like cosponsoring, because he gets good local media coverage, which builds goodwill for them. I feel so positive about this program that I wanted to share this information with you."

Russell Henke
Evaluator of Health Education materials
Montgomery County Public Schools
Montgomery County, Maryland

Carol Carey, Middle School PE teacher, wrote in January, 2005,

"This video had a huge impact on my kids. I have shown it to all of my PE kids -- 7th and 8th grade -- and they were enthralled. I've never had 42 children in a portable classroom so quietly at the same time! We were so moved that many different activities stemmed from the viewing, and I am wrapping up the Tobacco unit with two days in our computer lab, going on a virtual field trip and taking a Webquest. I am grateful for this video."

Carol Carey, PE teacher
Dartmouth Middle School
San Jose, CA

"Patrick Reynolds' father died from the product that made the family fortune -- cigarettes. In this program, Reynolds, grandson of tobacco company founder R.J. Reynolds and an anti-smoking advocate and renowned speaker, addresses a high school audience. His dynamic presentation is enlivened by videos, posters, and overhead slides. Amusing and effective take-offs of popular cigarette ads catch the audience's attention... This production, with its humor and varied format, is a powerful reminder of all the reasons to avoid tobacco and a useful resource for drug/ tobacco education programs in middle and high schools."

School Library Journal
October 2000
Click here for the complete review

A Safe and Drug Free Schools coordinator says:

"The Truth About Tobacco is a powerful mix of great TV spots, live talk, photos, film clips, and excellent graphics. This video was so effective, we're buying one for every school in our district. It will be an important part of our new tobacco education campaign. It should be in every middle and high school library."

Linda Currier, Safe and Drug Free Schools
Drug Education Coordinator
Eagle Mountain-Saginaw School District, Fort Worth, TX

Emphasizes the addictiveness of nicotine

Opens students' eyes to how tobacco advertising can manipulate teens

Creates a new perception of stars who glamorize smoking in TV and films

Motivates teens to resist peer pressure to smoke

Provides students with a formula for saying no, and gives clear examples

Empowers students to also make responsible choices about drugs and alcohol

Offers a unique initiation into life, based on ancient tradition. Its core message is, "Most adults have come to know that at times, life brings some pain. When the difficult moments come, don't escape by using tobacco, drugs, alcohol, food, music, or work, like so many do. Instead, stay with the problem, talk to others about it -- a trusted teacher, your parents, your friends, the school counselor -- and take steps to solve it… You can succeed in life -- joining together, you can achieve your goals!"

Stresses the importance of talking about problems, and not isolating (especially useful for at risk students)

Healing students' anxiety in an age of worry This sequence in our video was originally created to counteract an increase of anxiety and doubt among youth, documented in several 1990's studies. We believe it will be helpful to many students with higher anxiety levels since the September 11th attacks.

Mr. Reynolds believes that an important factor in high teen smoking rates has been that too many students presently feel inwardly, "There's really not much of a future for me, so why not smoke or try drugs? I just want to have fun while I can!" This part of our video was initially intended to target at-risk youth, among whom smoking and drug rates are substantially higher.

Sadly, after September 11th, student fears and anxiety are now a more widespread problem.

This five minute section will help empower youth to deal with their doubts and worries, rebuild their faith in the future, and give them a new motivation to stay tobacco and drug free. Mr. Reynolds achieves this by motivating students to –

1. First, talk about these feelings "to another person -- a trusted teacher, the school counselor, or your parents and friends." While it's good to affirm the positive, it's also good to talk to another person about what troubles you.
2. Affirm the positive. Mr. Reynolds gives real-life examples of positive thinking.
3. Reevaluate what real wealth is -- "It's not just about material things. It's about time we spend with family and friends, connecting with nature...."
4. "I want to share with you my faith -- my rock solid faith -- that everything will be OK, no matter what happens! So catch my faith in the future...."
5. Conclusion: "Stay tobacco, drug and alcohol free, for the wondrous, amazing years ahead of you, in this 21st Century....

We invite you to watch our online video video / audio clip of this section: it's Clip 5 on our clips page.

SECOND VIDEO FREE WITH PURCHASE, only for schools and libraries who buy the $145 version, licensed for showing in schools. The $39.95 version is licensed for home use only, but may be upgraded. The free bonus video is a shorter version of our full video, consisting of the six video clips on our clips page. It comes with a Clips Locator Card, so that teachers may wind the video directly to a desired topic, present the clip (average length is 5 minutes), and then pause the tape for immediate class discussion. It contains the clip Keeping faith in the future, which we believe will be helpful to many students worried in our troubled times. To get the free extra video, order the school version directly from us (not from a catalog). Please see our cost and how to order page.

The full video is divided into two parts, 20 minutes and 18 minutes, for viewing on separate class days. This allows time for class discussion.

Teacher's class discussion guide

Award-winning TV spots, live talk, film clips, photos and graphics

Offers students a great anti-smoking website, for follow-up study: www.notobacco.org

Click here for info on Mr. Reynolds' live talks for schools.

According to former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, "Patrick Reynolds is one of the nation's most influential advocates of a smokefree America. His testimony is invaluable to our society."

Mr. Reynolds' appearances in the media and before Congress have made him a nationally known and respected champion for a smokefree America. In hundreds of television, radio and print interviews, he has reminded millions of people of the dangers of smoking.

He's a grandson of tobacco company founder R.J. Reynolds, but the family's brands, Camel and Winston, killed his father and eldest brother.

In 1986 Mr. Reynolds became the first tobacco industry figure to turn his back on the cigarette companies. Since then he has devoted his life to the anti-smoking cause, and to keeping our young people tobacco free.

His recently released video for seventh to twelfth grade, The Truth About Tobacco, won rave reviews.

Cost and how to order

Video or audio clips

Learn more about this video

Contact: Lupe Lopez
(800) 541-7741
mail@tobaccofree.org