CREDITS, CRITIQUES AND COMMENTS ON "THEY'RE RICH, YOU'RE DEAD" VIDEO

"They're Rich, You're Dead" Video has been presented to hundreds of thousands of adolescents throughout Dade County, Florida and in other counties in Florida, US cities and countries (particularly Spanish and Mandarin speaking countries since the Video has been translated into these languages). It has been aired on WPLG-TV-Miami more than five times on the program "By Kids, For Kids", strongly endorsed by the Dade County School Board, placed permanently on the Dade County Public School closed circuit TV system "Teachers Choice", chosen by Dade County judges for ongoing court mandated presentations to underage youths who were cited for smoking and awarded "top honors" by a panel of teenagers who reviewed it along with ten other youth oriented tobacco awareness videos for the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP).

In exit surveys of middle and high school students to whom the Video was presented by medical students, 90% agreed or strongly agreed that they learned something new about tobacco use and that the Video was effective in convincing them not to smoke. In a one month follow-up survey of beginner smokers who viewed the Video (i.e., they smoked one pack/week or less), 50% stated that they quit smoking because of it. In surveys of medical student presenters, more than 90% stated that the experience was rewarding and more than 80% stated they would like to present again.

Pitchenik A, O'Connell M, Weiner D et al. A Community Service Tobacco Awareness Curriculum in Medical School. The Eleventh World Conference on Tobacco OR Health. August 6-11, 2000, Chicago, Ill. Page 759 (Abstract)

Pitchenik AE, Strusinski M, Canal R, Mennes J. A Tobacco Awareness Program for Middle Schools Presented Jointly by Medical Students and Classroom Teachers. Chest, 2000 (ACCP). San Francisco, October 22-26, 2000. page 1805 (Abstract).

The following are comments from educators and adolescents about the Video.

COMMENTS FROM EDUCATORS AFTER VIEWING THE VIDEO

1. "This Video is a powerful informational tool and will help show kids the real life and death consequences of lighting up. This anti-smoking Video is a strong resource."
Lawton Chiles, Governor, state of Florida. (1997).

2. "Staff has reviewed the Video and believes it will be an excellent tool to use as a deterrent to tobacco use among youth. The Superintendent of Schools supports the efforts that you have put into the making of this Video and making it available at no cost to the Dade County Public Schools."
Joseph H Mathos, Deputy Superintendent for Education, Dade County Public Schools, Dade County, Florida.