Because cigarette smoking kills more people than alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicides, and illegal drugs combined.

Because 1/3 of all smokers had their first cigarette at age 14.

Because 1 of 3 kids will die prematurely from smoking-related diseases.

And we really got steamed up over the aggressive campaigns from big tobacco companies that we’ve seen lately. Several moms on staff showed us mailings that tobacco companies sent to their young adult children. These are very slick, offering the kids free products, personalized cigarette packs and other enticements to smoke their brand. The kids’ names were collected at concerts where tobacco representatives gave elaborate gifts in exchange for addresses and phone numbers. These kids are now getting follow-up mailings and phone calls.

That is just NOT acceptable to us. So we came up with a campaign of our own . . . to beat big tobacco to the punch and help kids learn how to refuse those enticing offers to smoke. Check out our site @ smokingkids.com.

ySTART... Skills for a Tobacco-Free Life
We’re introducing an exciting new product to prevent young people from becoming addicted to tobacco. Do you share our vision for a tobacco-free world? Would you like to join us in saving lives?

Most people already know the health consequences of smoking. But people are still doing it! Why? Most people start smoking when they’re young and impulsive. Then they get addicted and it’s too late to say “no.”

We’ve applied our innovative technology to this problem. The result is a new program called ySTART (why start?) that can help young people practice confidently saying “no” to tobacco, before it robs their power to resist.

The ySTART Addiction Education Program combines a groundbreaking kinesthetic curriculum with a smoking refusal simulation using a handheld electronic device called the PreventPak. This dynamic program – a collaboration between our innovative engineering team and a U.S. award-winning health teacher – allows participants to learn about tobacco addiction and then experience peer pressure to smoke from the PreventPak. They are able to practice their refusal skills for the critical moments when they need to say “no” for real.

Please check out the ySTART program, visit our promotional web site and forward this information to health educators or community program leaders who work with young people ages 10 and up.

With ySTART people will never have to quit smoking again – because they never started.

Thanks for your support of Realityworks programs!