"This campaign aims to educate Wisconsin residents about the real and calculated ways the tobacco industry has acted to addict our youth to tobacco products," said Earnestine Willis, chairwoman of the state Tobacco Control Board.

The new television and radio advertisements, which focus on the marketing practices of the tobacco industry, are part of the youth-led Fighting Against Corporate Tobacco (FACT) campaign.

Last month, about 300 youth from 50 counties in the state met to develop local FACT chapters to spread the anti-tobacco message.

"Teens listen to teens," said Chelsea Tubbs, 16, a junior at Beloit Memorial High School. "We will use FACT to talk to our friends about how the tobacco industry is targeting them and how they can make a difference. In our communities, we are planning activities to tell our friends the truth about tobacco."

Mike Domask, 17, a senior at Ozaukee High School, said the new advertising campaign is designed to persuade youth to avoid smoking and ignore marketing ploys by tobacco companies.

"Every minute, $17,000 is spent advertising and targeting us. Why? Because we are regular potential customers," Domask said. "Once they get us hooked, they know they have us for life."

One of the ads features Patrick Reynolds, the grandson of cigarette giant R.J. Reynolds, talking about how tobacco companies don't want consumers to know what's in cigarettes. Another ad highlights a tobacco industry lobbyist talking about how he lied for the cigarette makers.

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