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Excerpts from Youths hit the streets to stop smoking message

By Leyla Touma, Boston Herald [08/26/99]

While many kids their age are squatting behind convenience stores to sneak a smoke, 10 Roslindale kids gathered yesterday to strip cigarette ads off the windows and wall of a neighborhood store to convince their peers not to light up.

``I have friends and certain family members (who smoke) and I want to let them know I see what it does to them,'' said Sandy Sanon, 15, who lives down the street from Four Brothers Market.

The idea was hatched by members of the Boston Area Youth Tobacco Action Group, who are pushing for more stores to remove cigarette ads.

The teens covered up old ads and graffiti with blue paint. During their labor, they noticed many of the ads were placed at the eye level of children.

Studies have shown that most addicted smokers begin the habit in their teen years.

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