R.E.B.E.L.: Reaching Everyone by Exposing Lies

Is a grassroots anti-tobacco movement developed by and for New Jersey teens to reduce and prevent the spread of tobacco use through positive peer-to-peer pressure and community action.

Why are we here?

• 10,700 New Jersey kids under 18 become new daily smokers each year.
• 398,000 New Jersey youth are exposed to second-hand smoke at home.
• 15.1 million packs of cigarettes are bought or smoked by New Jersey youth each year.
• Big Tobacco spends an estimated $231.2 million on marketing and advertising in New Jersey.
• Smoking is the largest preventable cause of death and more than 8 out of 10 smokers started at or before the age of 18.
• Medical and economic costs of second hand smoke totaled about $6 billion annually (worldwide) in 2004 (American Academy of Actuaries).
• Approximately 15.8 percent of New Jersey high school students are current smokers (2006 New Jersey Youth Tobacco Survey)

For years, Big Tobacco has manipulated the young people of America through teen directed advertising. R.E.B.E.L. teens are fighting back against the manipulation of Big Tobacco by declaring their independence. 
New Jersey Teens Tell Big Tobacco "We are...

                                       

Students are chosen to attend the annual R.E.B.E.L. Tobacco Learning Institute in the fall. They return to their schools where the R.E.B.E.L. teens work with an adult youth coordinator and school advisor to develop and implement local action plans to combat tobacco use and create smoke-free environments in their community.

 R.E.B.E.L. teens participate in various anti-tobacco activities on Kick Butts Day, an annual youth oriented tobacco awareness day sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Information on Kick Butts Day can be found at: www.kickbuttsday.org 


                                  

R.E.B.E.L.2

Is the middle school component of R.E.B.E.L.. Eighth and ninth grade students get tobacco education training, then bring an interactive message of tobacco prevention to the elementary schools in their district.