truth(R) Campaign Can Save Half a Million Lives and Billions ...( NEW YORK April 20 -- The truth(R) ...),Health

NEW YORK, April 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The truth(R) youth anti-smoking campaign has the power to save hundreds of thousands of lives and billions of dollars in smoking-related health care costs and productivity losses, according to the Citizens' Commission to Protect the Truth, a group composed of every former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare and Health and Human Services, with the exception of Michael Leavitt; every former U.S. Surgeon General; and every former Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine indicated that the medical care costs averted by the truth(R) campaign - due to prevention of smoking - were far greater than the costs of the campaign itself and found that for every dollar invested in truth(R), it is estimated that society saved over $6.80. The study focused on the period of 2000-2002. During this period of time, the truth(R) campaign has been credited with reducing the number of children and teen smokers by 300,000.

We believe that if the truth(R) campaign continues for another five years (2009-2015) with similar effectiveness, there will be up to 500,000 fewer youth smokers with savings of up to $9.0 billion in future medical costs.

The Commission based its analysis on the findings of the study presented in the May 2009 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, which found that the decrease in the number of youth who initiated smoking as a result of truth(R) during the period of 2000-2002 may result in averting up to $5.4 billion in future medical costs.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of young smokers will die prematurely from smoking-related diseases. Since 80% of adult smokers began using tobacco products be
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