SJ Orgs: COST

Children Opposed to Smoking Tobacco (COST) was founded by a group of students who want to keep tobacco products out of the hands of children. With the startling news that nearly 3,00 children become regular smokers everyday, the group made it their mission to stop tobacco products from being sold or marketed to children.

A group of sixth and eighth grade students from the Mary E. Volz School in Runnemede started the organization in 1996. Since most of the students had lost loved ones or knew someone who lost a loved one from a smoking-related illness, they wanted to take action to stop children from taking up smoking. Their initial research turned up evidence that tobacco companies were marketing to children. The students posted bulletins on the Internet to get help worldwide on their research effort.

They began with a letter writing campaign to local government officials, which resulted in a visit from Senator Lautenberg and Congressman Andrews in the late 1990s to discuss teen smoking. The COST members then surveyed high school students to learn where kids were buying cigarettes. The group then began attending borough council meetings with their findings to try to ban cigarette vending machines and self-service displays. The group also pushed to make all public places non-smoking.

To create community interest, the group created a banner and collected hundreds of handprints of people that have been touched by the effects of smoking. Their efforts did not go unnoticed. In March of 1996, six students were invited by the American Heart Association to visit President Clinton and Vice President Gore in Newark. Gore signed the Banner and the group headed to Washington to participate in the Smithsonian’s Annual Kite Flying Contest, displaying their banner and receiving TV coverage as a result.

As a well-known name in the community and beyond, COST participated in events such as the American Heart Associations “Heart Walk” and an anti-tobacco rally to celebrate the Great American Smoke Out.

Their recognition led them to meet government officials at all levels including Donna Shalala, United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Senator Frank Lautenberg in 1998 who talked to the group in about smoking. Lautenberg was presented with the first COST award for his battles against tobacco.

Without much response from the local township on their endeavors the group continues to get petitions and surveys from local residents. In 2000, the sixth grade COST members wrote and performed a play called ‘The Trial of the Marlboro Man’ The play was so successful that a member of the American Cancer Society asked the group to take it on the road.

COST was also honored by The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids as the winner of the Group Advocate of the Year Award.

The group is asking residents who support their cause to write a letter to local and state officials asking them to take action to support laws against selling cigarettes to minors. Other ways you can help are by researching, writing to owners of restaurants and other entertainment establishments asking them to be smoke free, and presenting evidence to local officials that residents want the community to become a non-smoking area. Contact information for local officials and sample letters can be found on the COST web site at www.costkids.org.

For more information, please contact costkids@costkids.org or visit www.costkids.org.

For more on local Organizations, visit our South Jersey Organizations page.

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Author: Melissa Samuelson