Neighbor News
Reality Check Youth Serve Amore Pizzeria Customers Slices of Education
The It's Not Just campaign stresses the impact of flavored tobacco on youth initiation.
Bayshore, NY- Long Island Reality Check youth teamed up with Amore Pizzeria of Bayshore, NY to serve up some important menthol tobacco facts, alongside the restaurant’s pizza. Youth placed over 200 informational stickers on outgoing pizza boxes during the recent Sticker Shock event, in promotion of New York State Tobacco Control Program’s It’s Not Just campaign. The sticker contained a scannable barcode to take customers to NotJustMenthol.org, where they can access vital information about the impact of menthol-flavored commercial tobacco products on marginalized communities and youth. Reality Check is a youth-led organization that raises awareness about the tobacco industry’s manipulative and deceptive marketing that attracts and addicts kids.
Youth member, Adalberto Murillo, educated curious patrons about the initiative, highlighting that flavors such as menthol are more enticing to youth, making youth more likely to become addicted to tobacco products [1].
“Menthol is not ‘just’ a flavor – it makes smoking easier to start and harder to quit,” Murillo said.
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With more than half of youth smokers between ages 12 and 17 using menthol cigarettes [2], spreading awareness is necessary,” stated Stacy Dacelien, Reality Check Coordinator. She went on to explain that menthol-flavored tobacco products provide a cooling sensation that often masks the irritation typically associated with inhaling tobacco products, but they do not mask the potential damage to the still developing adolescent brain.
Amore Pizzeria owner, Richard Graffeo, who has long been an advocate for the youth in his community, echoed these sentiments. Mr. Graffeo regularly donates his time and establishment to youth programs.
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“What these kids are doing is much bigger than us adults. They are here on a Friday afternoon, using their free time to share this message,” Mr. Graffeo said. He joined in on the fun, teaching the youth members how to fold pizza boxes – even making a fun competition out of who could be quicker. In true fashion of his generosity, Mr. Graffeo gifted the youth with slices of Amore’s famous pizza, garlic knots and beverages.
“Unlike menthol, the pizza flavor was one that Reality Check youth could get behind,” said Stacy Dacelien.
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The Tobacco Action Coalition of LI is one of 21 Advancing Tobacco Free Communities’ grants funded by the NYS DOH’s Bureau of Tobacco Control and administered by the American Lung Association. Our grant is comprised of a community engagement and youth action component, Reality Check, who work collaboratively to promote environments open to creating a tobacco-free norm as well as educating and empowering our youth to become change agents within their communities.
[1] Flavored tobacco use among youth and young adults. Truth Initiative. (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2023, from https://truthinitiative.org/re...
[2] Help fight the injustice of menthol. Help Fight the Injustice of Menthol | NotJustMenthol.org. (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2023, from https://notjustmenthol.org/you...
