NORWICH – Four Norwich High School Reality Check youths returned from Legislative Day in Albany on February 7 after spreading their message to lawmakers about how they can support Reality Check's tobacco control efforts in New York State.

NHS juniors Kristina Lamphere, Morgan Burdick, Steven King, and freshman Maddi Lamphere met with Senator Fred Akshar, Assemblyman Clifford Crouch, and staff from Assemblyman Gary Finch's office last Tuesday to discuss how Reality Check is making strides to control tobacco usage in each legislators' jurisdiction.

Reality Check Coordinator and Coordinator of Tobacco-Free Chenango Rose Walsh said the annual trip to Legislative Day is a privilege earned by Reality Check youths by their participation and activity, adding that almost everyone in the group earned the right to go this year but some were unable.

Maddi said while talking with lawmakers, they talked about the different Reality Check initiatives the group organizes, like the flagging of cigarette butts in Kiwanis Park, the observation of Seen Enough Tobacco Day, their participation in “airing big tobacco's dirty laundry,” and more.

It was their hope, Maddi said, that lawmakers would consider increasing the funding for the NYS Bureau of Tobacco Control from $39 million to $40 million to enable tobacco control groups like Reality Check to continue making measurable progress.

The funding helps make possible Reality Check events. One such event is slated for February 24, Reality Check is sponsoring a free showing of the movie “Sing” at the Colonia Theater in Norwich in honor of the International Week of Action leading up to the Academy Awards.

All of the NHS Reality Check youths will be in attendance, and all who join will also be offered a free small popcorn and soda, courtesy of Reality Check. The movie will start at 10 a.m., with the doors opening at 9:30 a.m.

Walsh said by participating in the International Week of Action, it is Reality Check's hope that the NPAA will begin rating movies that feature images of smoking as R-rated.

So far, Reality Check's efforts appear to be paying off in the area: the rate of prevalent smokers aged 18 to 24 in Chenango County dropped from 14 percent to 11.7 percent from 2015 to 2016.

Chenango County is among the lowest counties in the state in overall smoking rate, as the NYS Department of Health deems Chenango County in the lowest two quartile percentages of current smokers, with an estimated percent of 18.9 current smokers.

Surrounding counties Broome and Cortland had an estimated percentage of 22.3 and 21.4, respectively. The highest percentage of current smokers in the state is Cayuga County with a 30.6 percentage of current smokers.

Another sign of their progress, according to Walsh, is that Assemblyman Crouch asked the NHS Reality Check youths to make an appointment to visit his district office in Binghamton to learn more about their mission.

Burdick said that while they have made headway, there is still work to be done, noting that some of today's youth has transitioned to the use of electronic cigarettes and vapes, which bring their own dangers.

All of the Reality Check youths agreed they enjoyed their time at Legislative Day, and that they believe that the lawmakers they met with left in support of their mission.

Reality Check and NHS At-Risk Coordinator Rhett Genung said, “I thought they did a great job representing Norwich and the high school. I thought the way they interfaced with our representatives was outstanding. They really stepped it up, I was very proud of them.”