Reality Check (program)

What is Reality check?

Reality Check (RC) is a teen-led anti-tobacco movement in New York State. Thousands of teens, between the ages of 13 and 18 participate in Reality Check and work towards the organization's stated purpose of alerting other teens about the way they believe that the tobacco industry works to market to minors. Their main goals are to deglamorize tobacco use among teens and to decrease tobacco advertising that targets teens.

Reality Check has been instrumental in combating smoking in movies, point of purchase, and tobacco advertising found in the school setting. Reality Check's main focus is currently on how they believe that the tobacco industry targets teens through advertising, sponsorship and promotion (ASP) of their product through any form media or public event. Recently Reality Check has worked with NYS Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and the National Association of Attorneys General to adopt policies with Time, Newsweek, People, and Sports Illustrated, and the tobacco industries to remove all tobacco advertising in magazines available in school settings.

History of Reality Check

Reality Check was established in 2000 by the New York State Department of Health as the state's first youth led anti-tobacco movement. In June of 2000 150 teens from across New York gathered at Keuka College in Keuka Park, NY and worked to name, shape, form, and design what now in New York Stae is Reality Check. Since that time, thousands of teens have become and continue to be active in Reality Check and advocate for their cause. There are active chapters in all 62 counties in New York State.

Reality Check Structure

Reality Check is made up of teens in all 62 counties in New York State. From each county, there are as many as 6 representatives who represent that county on a statewide youth board that convenes three times each year for training and other updates. The state is divided up into several "areas" or groups of counties. Each area is assigned 3 Area representatives who represent their area as a whole to personell in the state Department of Health. All of these positions are held by teens who work towards enlisting their peers in aiding the organization's cause.

Criticisms About Reality Check

Reality Check has come under fire by some, both smokers and non-smokers alike, for a number of their practices. Some believe their events focus on giving away free merchandise and are ineffective and needless, and it is suggested that many of the teens they attract to their events seem to show up for socializing, rather than productive campaigning. These methods have been criticized for being very much the same as the marketing practices of the tobacco companies that they decry as manipulative, particularly in their marketing to teens. This criticism has led to some charges of hypocrisy toward the movement, particularly what some see as the inherent contradiction between their slogan "We won't be bought" and their focus on free stuff. Their campaigns against smoking in movies, much like those of organizations such as Smoke Free Movies, are seen by some to be a form of censorship, and many believe that their actions in this campaign show a deep paranoia about tobacco advertising, and a disrespect for the art of film. Such criticisms are so prevalent that Smoke Free Movies has, in fact, responded to them in advertisements.