New York State Has Seen Enough Tobacco Ads @TobaccoFreeNYS #SeenEnoughTobacco
This post was sponsored by Tobacco Free New York State as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions expressed in my post are my own.
We started the conversation early on with my kids, mostly because mommy and daddy were smokers. I smoked, quitting with each pregnancy and starting a few months after. As the kids got older, they would imitate and then ask about smoking. I was a hypocrite with the do what I say not what I do. I felt guilty, smelly and knew I shouldn’t do it but still there I was sneaking behind the car after buckling them in (I never smoked in the car with them) or hiding outside the house. The kids would tell me how bad smoking was, they saw commercials about the harm, a change of the ads from when I had been their age.
When Jack was almost 5, I asked him what he wanted for his birthday and he said he wanted me to quit smoking. So on May 13th, 2015 I had my last cigarette, the day before he turned 5, I am just past 4 years smoke free now. I had started around my 16th birthday and smoked for almost 14 years at that point. As a mother to think that the average age of a smoker in New York State is 13 years old, thats just 4 years away for Jack. We continue to discuss how smoking is gross and when they see people smoking they wave their hand in front of their face. They have “Seen Enough Tobacco” already and are beginning to show it.
The amount of money Tobacco companies spend so kids can see tobacco in stores is in the billions. The more they see tobacco the more likely they are to start themselves. Stopping at home, that was the first step and getting them out of stores is next. Locally we have had delis and pharmacies that do not sell tobacco products, it is a start. Why should it be in kids faces, even if they want to sell, they don’t need to be on display for all to see. Reducing smoking amongst our youth is important, knowing about its harms is a start but not seeing it reduces availability.
SIGN The Pledge
Sign the “Seen Enough Tobacco” pledge today to make New York a healthier place to live, work and play. Our kids have seen enough, and its our turn to product them from tobacco products in stores. We can make a change. Start with young kids and educate them, be informed. Thenen get them out of the view of our kids, our future. If your kids ask questions, answer them, be truthful. Don’t make it a mystery, include them in those discussions honestly. I can only hope my efforts as a mom, and signing the pledge in efforts of changing our state happen before my kids are older and want to use tobacco.
Want to find out more? Check out:
- Tobacco Free New York State Site: http://www.tobaccofreenys.org/
- Tobacco Free New York State Facebook: http://lwww.facebook.com/tobaccofreenys
- Tobacco Free New York State Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/tobaccofreenys
- Tobacco Free New York State Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tobaccofreenys
Sign the “Seen Enough Tobacco” pledge today!
