Tobacco is Wacko Campaign

Published March 27, 2008

Page Middle School seventh grader Samantha Taggart has a message for teenagers who think smoking is cool: Get a life! Taggart is among the growing number of Williamson County students who are tobacco-free and proud of it. In March, Taggart won a contest when her motto was chosen to be the new slogan for Williamson County Schools anti-tobacco campaign. Taggart says she settled on Tobacco is Wacko after learning about the harmful effects of smoking. "It has a bad effect on your later life," says Taggart. "You won't succeed as much."

The Tobacco is Wacko Campaign was born out of a $15,789 Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Grant given to Williamson County by the Tennessee Department of Health. The program is specifically aimed at educating sixth graders about the dangers of smoking and other forms of tobacco.

"We will be promoting the campaign with white wristbands that indicate those who are tobacco free," said WCS Safe and Drug-Free Schools Coordinator Dianne O'Neil. "Every sixth grader will have an opportunity to get a wristband and we'd like for the community to get involved in purchasing and wearing them to show students the prevalence of Williamson County citizens who are also tobacco free."

As for Taggart, she's just happy to be part of a movement that will encourage more students to stand strong in the face of peer pressure. "Just resist the pressure. It's stupid to smoke," says Taggart.
If you're interested in purchasing a tobacco free wristband, contact Dianne O'Neil at 472-4076.