Facing Big Tobacco's Reality
By Lily Sturtevant

At the beginning of last summer, I had the good fortune of taking part in a non-smoking campaign for teenage girls in Westchester County called Face Value. I first learned about the campaign from a flyer hanging on my locker at school, which called for teen girls to try out for a commercial and to get involved helping local girls to say "no" to smoking. The chance to help get across an important message to my community and the possibility of being on TV (I am taking acting classes and I hope to be a successful actress someday) instantly appealed to me. I went to the Face Value Web site (www.WestchesterFaceValue.com) later that day to learn more about the project.

I read tons of interesting statistics that showed how dangerous smoking is and learned that smoking is nothing like the glamorous image that Big Tobacco tries to sell. I had already known smoking gives you brittle nails, gross yellow teeth, sallow skin, and makes you smell, but I was shocked to read that there are over 4,000 deadly chemicals in each cigarette Ð including ingredients found in nail polish remover and toilet bowl cleaner! The Face Value site also said that not only was smoking horrible for your looks, it was a habit that costs a lot to keep up. For example, for the amount you spend on a pack-a-day habit in one week, you could buy three cool new CDs or a new outfit (which not only last longer than cigarettes, but won't give you cancer!). And smoking a pack a day for a year costs the same as a week's vacation for you and your best bud...in Paris! In all, I really liked the Face Value Web site for its honesty about the effects of smoking, and I felt its not in-your-face tone would really get through to people. So I decided to try out for the commercial.

I auditioned at Peekskill High School -- and I was really nervous. After arriving, I filled out some paperwork and read about the concept of the commercial and print ads. Since everyone else was at ease, my nerves soon went away. For the audition, I talked about my friends who smoke, how smoking affects my everyday life, and my general opinion of the campaign. I also explained that though I had once tried smoking, I didn't smoke any longer. After my audition, the producer told me I'd receive a call in about two days if I were chosen. Luckily, I got the call!

The shoot was in Boston, so my family and I drove up the next week. Once we got there, I met all the other girls who were cast. After meeting the stylist, we went through the wardrobe and picked out outfits for the commercial. We rehearsed that first day. That night, my nerves came back. I was afraid I would wake up too late and miss everything, but my fears were unfounded. I woke up bright and early and headed over to the studio for hair and makeup. While getting dressed and having my hair and make-up done, I started to get really excited. I was going to shoot a commercial! As the day went on, I learned many things about camera angles, lighting, and the whole process of shooting stills. By the end of the day, even though I was really tired, I knew I had done the right thing. Not only would I never forget this great experience, but I made friends with eight nice girls, and I got to send a worthwhile message to my peers about the hazards of smoking.

After my experience with Face Value, I do not believe I will ever consider smoking again. After learning about this habit, I have found that there is nothing worthwhile about smoking. Tobacco companies try to convince us that smoking makes us cooler, prettier, thinner, and more mature like the models they use to sell their products. But the fact is, it's all a big lie. If you smoke today you will see the effects of smoking on your appearance and your health, and you will definitely notice how little money you have to do other cool things. Knowing what I know now, I would never have tried smoking in the first place. It's a nasty habit.

So far, the Face Value ads have appeared on television stations like MTV, radio stations like Z100, and billboards around the county.

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