Anti-smoking gets 'ugly'

A handful of Sioux Falls elementary schools have already taken part - with more schools expected to later - in a new tobacco-free initiative being promoted by the South Dakota State Medical Association Alliance.

The 12-minute animated film, "Smoking Makes Me Ugly," is designed to educate children about the harms of tobacco use before they begin to smoke, said Grace Wellman, co-president of the Alliance. It's targeted at fifth-grade students, she said.

"The project presents the hazards of smoking through an animated video that captures the attention of children while delivering the lesson content," Wellman said.
The DVD only became available a few weeks ago. It costs $74.95. The Alliance has purchased 75 DVDs and placed them in schools throughout South Dakota, Wellman said. The Alliance is working with local law enforcement to help implement the video in school districts.

The film contains interactive lessons. Worksheets, handouts and teacher guides can be printed from the files included on the DVD, Wellman said.

Christine Bruzvoort, a Sioux Falls school resource officer, said she has been contacted by principals this school year on three different occasions about smoking at the elementary level.

So far, she has shown the video to fifth-grade students at Lowell, Longfellow, Hayward, Hawthorne and Renberg elementary schools.

"It shows you what smoking does to you," Bruzvoort said. "All the kids already know that smoking gives you cancer and it's bad for you, but this actually gives you a visual picture of what this does to your actual body."

Minnehaha County Sheriff's Deputy Josh Phillips works with the West Central School District. He will show students the DVD in early January. Other school districts such as Garretson, Dell Rapids and Tri-Valley will soon follow, he said.

"It's just not a video itself," Phillips said, "it's a Power-Point with interactions that I think will really keep the kids interested in the video and keep them talking about it."