EHS grad cowboys up against tobacco
By Scott Fitzgerald - Enid Oklahoma Newspaper Staff Writer
Recent Enid High School graduate Charlet Ringwald is small in stature. But her heart is huge in the effort to prevent people her age from getting addicted to tobacco.
Ringwald, who was president of Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) at Enid High School, has been assigned as SWAT youth leader for a Spit Out Big Tobacco Protest demonstration 7-8 p.m. Aug. 6 at Ford Center in downtown Oklahoma City.
"About 30 cars will be circling around the Ford Center. We will pass out information to people going into the rodeo. WeÕll be waving posters and balloons," Ringwald said.
The decorated vehicles will be circling the center during the Bullnanza rodeo event, which is hosted by Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association. PRCAÕs main sponsor is U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. (USST).
"Rodeo is a sport and a family event. You have to be healthy to participate in rodeo, and the USST sponsorship goes against this. People say they (PRCA) needs this money from the USST, but there are plenty of sponsors to make up the difference," Ringwald said.
People, especially kids, who see the smokeless tobacco ads and logos associated with rodeo events likely will assume itÕs a part of rodeo culture, Ringwald said, and thatÕs misleading.
"The truth is tobacco is not healthy and does not help the cowboys. Rodeo is a sport and tobacco does not help a cowboyÕs performance," Ringwald said.
RingwaldÕs activity that day will not be confined to the demonstration.
Getting information out to her peers is a big part of Spit Out Big Tobacco Protest.
Ringwald will be master of ceremonies for a training and speakers gathering earlier the same day at Rose State College in Midwest City.
Approximately 150 SWAT members from throughout the state, including up to eight representatives from Enid, will gather at the college to hear a physicianÕs report concerning latest information about the effects of smokeless tobacco.
They also will hear the story of Sean Marsee, an Oklahoma youth who died at 19 from the effects of dipping.
Ted Hallisey, a Salt Lake City radio personality, educator and founder of Cowboys Against Tobacco, will talk to SWAT members about changing social norms surrounding smokeless tobacco and how smokeless tobacco became integrated into Western culture.