1999 Award Winners National Winner East Mid-West Central South West Group Award

A group of young people who have worked on the state and local level to ban cigarette vending machines and tirelessly sought to educate other teens about the dangers of youth tobacco use have been honored as the 1999 Youth Advocates of the Year Group Award winner by the Washington, DC-based CAMPAIGN FOR TOBACCO-FREE KIDS.

Children Opposed to Smoking Tobacco (COST) was formed in 1996 by several 12- to 14-year-olds at Mary E. Volz SchooI in Runnemede, N.J. who were concerned about teen smoking after they learned that 3,000 kids a day become regular smokers.

Originally unsure what they could do to change things because they were "just kids," COST members have learned that collaboration among young people can effect significant change.

COST members began their fight against youth tobacco use by becoming informed. The group discovered how tobacco companies encourage kids to smoke, and their classrooms soon housed "trinket and trash" collections of shirts, mugs, magazine ads, clocks and newspaper racks all bearing logos of tobacco brands.

Members found that while the tobacco industry makes smoking appealing to young people, it also makes it easy for minors to get cigarettes through its use of vending machines and self-service displays.

One of COST's first endeavors was a letter-writing campaign asking government officials and organizations to protect children from the tobacco industry. New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg and Congressman Rob Andrews soon took notice and encouraged COST to continue its fight.

"We believe that working together is important in order to keep cigarettes out of the hands of kids," said COST member Christina Malatesta.

The group conducted research in its town to find out where youth were buying cigarettes. Members carried out "sting operations" and, armed with the information they collected, asked members of the borough council to ban cigarette vending machines, outdoor tobacco advertising, and self-service displays. COST also urged the councilors to enforce the law against selling tobacco products to minors and asked them to prohibit smoking in all public buildings in Runnemede. As a result of the lobbying efforts, the council adopted a resolution banning cigarette vending machines and established a "no smoking" ordinance in municipal buildings.

"They find new ways to continue their crusade to protect others from the dangers of tobacco use with a level of energy that never fails to amaze me," said the group's advisor, Linda Hurd.

Next, the group looked for ways to show the pain that tobacco companies cause. It collected hundreds of handprints from people who had been touched by the effects of smoking and created "Show of Hands -- Our Lives Have Been Touched" banners. The American Heart Association invited six members to meet President Clinton and Vice President Gore at the Newark Airport where both politicians signed the banners.

The group also has taken its banners to Washington, DC, to participate in the Smithsonian Institution’s Annual Kite Flying Contest. Members flew hand-made kites bearing anti-smoking messages.

In 1997, COST appeared before the New Jersey State Assembly where it was presented with a resolution drafted in its honor. The group took this opportunity to ask Assemblywoman Nilsa Cruz Perez to introduce legislation to ban all cigarette vending machines in New Jersey. The bill did not pass; however, Assemblywoman Perez has reintroduced the bill this year and it is currently before the Health Committee.

COST's efforts were featured in "Current Health," a publication distributed to more than 280,000 students nationwide. It has received hundreds of letters from the publicity its activities have generated and has committed to answering each one.

"What we have done has not only helped our town and state, but also the nation," said Christina. In order to spread its information worldwide, COST developed and maintains a web site, www.costkids.com. There, issues such as cigarette advertising aimed at youth and the availability of cigarettes at area stores, are addressed.

The group's most recent project has been working with the Camden County Public Health Department to conduct compliance checks of retailers who sell tobacco products to kids. "Our goal is not to ‘catch’ businesses, but to help them comply with the law by providing materials and advice," said Hurd.

In its role as Youth Advocate Group of the Year Group winner, COST members will serve as spokespeople for the CAMPAIGN at media events, share their views on tobacco issues with both peers and adults, work to increase awareness of the tobacco industry's insidious youth marketing tactics, and encourage kids across the country to take a stand against tobacco use in their communities.