Webcast live from the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., the news conference touted the the FDA's first-ever youth tobacco prevention campaign, which targets the roughly 3,200 Americans per day who smoke their first cigarette when they're not yet 18 years old.
Giuffra, of Chesterfield, Mo., is president of the Tobacco Free Missouri Youth Advisory Board. He discussed the tobacco cessation and prevention programs that he has been involved with over the past three years, including work with Casa de Salud, a nonprofit health clinic serving the St. Louis Hispanic community.
As part of his news conference presentation (see video below), Giuffra said:
"I think it's important that this campaign will not only use TV, but also Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to drive these messages home and get teens thinking differently about smoking and how it will affect their everyday life."
The yearlong “The Real Cost” media campaign will begin Feb 11 with a focus on things “teens care about” — such as outward appearance and independence.
“Tobacco causes more deaths than alcohol, illegal drug use, homicides, suicides, car accidents and AIDS combined,” said Margaret Hamburg, commissioner of food and drugs at FDA, during a Washington, D.C., press conference.
“Tobacco use is almost always initiated and established during adolescence. And close to 90 percent of established adult smokers smoke their first cigarette before the age of 18. That’s why early intervention is critical.”
For more information, visit "The Real Cost" campaign's website.