Targeted teens confirm: latest<BR>anti-tobacco message getting through

Posted 9/12/01

Targeted teens confirm: latest
anti-tobacco message getting through

At the one year mark of the highly visible statewide Target Market teen anti-tobacco campaign, the results of a telephone survey of 1,014 Minnesota teens shows the campaign is doing precisely what it has been designed to do.
The survey, conducted by Twin Cities based Market Solutions, showed that 93 percent of Minnesota teens are aware of advertising about tobacco companies manipulating teens, Target Marketís central message; and that 87 percent of Minnesota teens are aware of Target Market or TM.
The survey results showed significant changes in teensí attitude about tobacco and tobacco companies since the start of the Target Market campaign in April 2000.
These changes are an important precursor to behavior changes and lower youth smoking rates.
Seventy-six percent of the teens surveyed said that they did not want to be the target for big tobacco companies.
More importantly, 68 percent of Minnesota teens 12ñ17 years old felt that now they have the power to fight back against the tobacco industry.
ìIt has been many years since we have been able to report progress in the battle against teen smoking, and today we are very encouraged by the results of the survey;î said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm.
ìThis interim evaluation is a good indication that Target Market and the entire Minnesota Youth Tobacco Prevention Initiative his being effective and this is the first of what we hope will be many more reports showing similar results.î
This summer the Target Market Cruiser took to the road traveling around the state to concerts, beaches, festivals, parades, county fairs and teen hangouts.
One of their stops included the Chisago County Fair and Karl Oskar Days where they recruited new members to join the fight against Big Tobacco and industry manipulation.
In addition to the Target Market campaign, a group of students from Chisago Lakes High School concerned about teen smoking, joined together to form an anti-tobacco youth coalition called the ìFresh-makers.î
They debuted their logo and mission in this yearís Karl Oskar Days parade. As part of their crusade, the ìFresh-makersî plan to go to the middle school classes this fall to teach younger students about th risks of tobacco.
According to Cyndi Carroll, the groupís facilitator, ìThis is an opportunity to empower our youth. Younger students look to their older peers as role models and listen closely to what they have to say.î
For more information on becoming a youth coalition member of the Minnesota Tobacco Initiative, contact cyndi Carroll, Health Education specialist at Chisago County Public Health 651-213-0301 or 651-674-4433, ext. 301.
Excerpts from this article are taken from a press release dated August 29 from the Minnesota Department of Health and Target Market.