Teens send message to big tobacco

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Dozens of teenagers say they've "seen enough." They gathered in downtown Buffalo on Thursday with a reality check for big tobacco.

They chanted, "We've seen enough; we want change!"

More than 100 teenagers from across New York state gathered in Buffalo on Thursday, as part of a youth-led program to urge an end to tobacco advertising in stores. They know the ads are aimed at getting them to smoke.

James Hazzard said, "We as teens walk into convenience stores and we are bombarded by tobacco advertisements. You, as adults, aren't aware of these advertisements.

That's true; studies have shown that kids are more luikely to remember the cigarette ads they see in stores, and the ads work.

Dr. Andrew Hyland of Roswell Park said, "And when we asked them how that made them feel, 20 percent of those kids say those ads make it more likely that I'll think about trying cigarette smoking."

The ads really are impressive - they're called "power walls." Watch the video to take a look at some that were photographed in Buffalo recently. And they're not aimed at adults - confirmed smokers who go into a store already know what brand they want and they're not impressed by the ads.

William Rutkowski said, "They think the younger generation can be manipulated to buy their products with flashy advertisements and product displays. Our younger brothers and sisters are big tobaccos' targets, too, and they don't even know it yet. My peers from across the state of New York have gathered here today in Buffalo to make a stand. Tobacco advertising and tobacco product displays must go!"

Cigarette companies spend a million dollars a day in New York state for ads and promotions. We know that ads in stores influence kids to smoke, and we know that one out of three smokers will die of tobacco-related illness. Now we also know that kids don't want to see those ads.