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Date: Thursday, March 14, 1996
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: CDC/Office on Smoking and Health (770) 488-5493, CDC/Office of
Public Affairs 404) 639-3286, NCI (301) 496-8584
HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala today unveiled a national TV spot featuring members of the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team promoting a smoke-free lifestyle to teenaged girls. The event kicked off a national campaign called "Smoke-Free Kids & Soccer."
Shalala said the goal of the project is to prevent smoking among girls ages 12 - 17 and to increase awareness of the risks to health and athletic performance that result from cigarette use. She launched the campaign in Atlanta, site of the 1996 Summer Olympics.
"More and more young people, especially girls, are striking the first match that will lead to a lifelong, life-threatening addiction," Shalala said. "This campaign communicates not only the negative effects of tobacco use on athletic performance, but also promotes participation in sports as a positive alternative to smoking."
"Smoke-Free Kids & Soccer" is a collaboration between HHS and U.S. Soccer, the governing body of American soccer. HHS participating agencies include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
National Team co-captain Julie Foudy, 25, who will attend Stanford Medical School following the Olympics, joined Secretary Shalala for the kickoff. Said Foudy: "Smoking and athletics don't mix. In soccer, we play 90 minutes without a timeout. We would never let something as unhealthy and artificial as smoking interfere with our performance."
"Soccer players would rather smoke a defender than a cigarette," Foudy added. "Just watch us in July."
CDC Director David Satcher, M.D., who also participated in the launch, emphasized the importance of monitoring teen-smoking rates. "Eighty percent of adult smokers became addicted during their teens," he said. "The overwhelming majority of smokers say they would not have started if they could choose again."
National Cancer Institute Director Richard Klausner, M.D., said: "Reducing teenage smoking is critical to the nation's fight against cancer. `Smoke-Free Kids and Soccer' is an important complement to our efforts to work with communities to help kids resist the pressures to smoke."
Added Hank Steinbrecher, U.S. Soccer Secretary General: "We are pleased to join Secretary Shalala in promoting `Smoke-Free Kids and Soccer.' Smoking shouldn't be part of anyone's game plan."
The women's soccer team will play an exhibition game against the National Team of Germany at Decatur High School outside of Atlanta on March 14.
The ad will be broadcast nationally this weekend on ESPN2 and the smoke-free campaign message will travel with the team throughout the U.S.
Shalala said athletics is "an excellent vehicle for reaching young people with the smoke-free message. Athletics give young people the very benefits they often seek from smoking: independence, status with their peers, a chance to make friends and a positive sense of self."
More than 40 percent of the 18 million U.S. youth soccer participants are female, and that number is on the rise. In addition, the sport will be a medal event at the Olympic Games in Atlanta for the first time in history.
The TV spot will be offered as a national public service announcement on the major networks and as paid advertising in selected markets.
Secretary Shalala will also attend the Atlanta match to present an award recognizing the contribution of the U.S. National Women's team to the health of America's young people.