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This nationally known smokefree advocate is a popular motivational speaker who crisscrosses the country to speak at universities, hospitals and high schools. Hospital Community Relations Directors frequently sponsor his talks before colleges and the community, in part because press coverage of his appearances is strong and positive. This acclaimed program builds goodwill for sponsors, and is an excellent community outreach for sponsoring hospitals. The tobacco control officer in the local public health department will often assist hospitals in booking additional talks at middle and high schools in the area, and in calling additional hospitals to join as co-sponsors. Make a call to a local hospital! See who to call and talking points. "In
a little over an hour, Reynolds went from being just another anti-tobacco
speaker to something special," commented a front page story
in one local paper. See current
news coverage. An outline of his college program follows below. For details about his talk to middle and high schools, scroll down.
Tobacco is a truly important global issue: one out of three people worldwide are currently addicted. As a result, in coming decades smoking will kill 500 million people who have already been born, according to the UN. This means that 9% of the present world population will one day die prematurely because of cigarettes. This highly motivational speaker reaches the hearts and minds of his audiences. Patrick Reynolds speaks vividly and movingly about his memories his father's and eldest brother's deaths from smoking, and then will update the audience on the current state of tobacco control in your State. He'll compare your State to the rest of the nation in four areas: current State tobacco taxes, spending this year on teen smoking prevention, the strength of youth access laws, and current laws banning smoking in your State from restaurants, bars and other workplaces. Finally, he'll suggest what can be done to bring about change. Mr. Reynolds will also offer his insightful perspective on other current tobacco issues, including the influence of the special interests over Congress, the UN World Health Organization's Global Treaty on Tobacco Control, ratified by 157 nations as of September, 2008, the FDA law to regulate tobacco, an overview of recent State and Federal tobacco tax hikes, and the sad cutting of highly successful tobacco prevention programs by most States. He'll provide the current number of States which have passed strong Statewide 100% smoking bans (23 as of September, 2008), and other tobacco issues. Mr. Reynolds will inform audiences that the tobaccofree movement has made its greatest progress at the local level of government, passing hundreds of 100% smoking bans, and also in the Judicial branch. But until recently the movement has made little progress in Congress, and has had mixed results in the 50 State Legislatures. Mr. Reynolds believes this has had much to do with the millions the tobacco industry donates each year to politicians' election campaigns, and makes a case for strengthening campaign finance reform laws. Time permitting, Patrick will include a powerful section from his talk for grades six through twelve: he'll recount the moving and powerful story of Sean Marsee, a young track star who died at 19 from chewing tobacco. He'll illustrate that story with shocking before and after overheads. For comic relief, he shows some hilarious overheads which make fun of Joe Camel, depicting him in a hospital bed, and present "Malboro Country" as a group of smokers huddled outside an office building's back door getting their nicotine fix. He briefly discusses the other major addictions prevalent in our society, such as drugs, alcohol, food, and more. "Looking at the big picture, these national addictions we have are a way of avoiding our pain, and changing our mood. But it's better to deal with the problem at hand, instead of running away with diversions like these," he says. In ancient initiations, which were practiced on every continent of the globe, the adults would take the young ones out into the forest or desert, and deprive them of food or sleep, put obstacles in their path, even cutting them with a ritual "initiation" wound. I'm not going to do that, don't worry! What I think the adults were trying to tell the teens was, life is designed to be painful at times, and you can do it. When tough moments come, and they will, don't avoid your pain by using tobacco, drugs, alcohol, or even abuse food, music, or work, like so many uninitiated adults do. Instead of avoiding painful feelings, stay with your problem, talk to others about it, and then take steps to solve it. Share your problem and feelings with someone, whether your friends, the school counselor, a trusted teacher or mentor, or your parents. Welcome! You're initiated now, and closer to the world of adults." Before some college groups, Mr. Reynolds also includes a short section near the end to empower students to keep faith in the future, and to deal more effectively with their doubts and fears about the years ahead. In an age of economic upheaval and an uncertain economy, new diseases such as AIDS, SARS and bird flu, reports on global warming, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the threat of terrorist attacks at home -- all this have raised levels of worry and pessimism among students about the future. Mr. Reynolds believes that the danger of widespread pessimism among youth is a likely contributor to increased rates of tobacco, alcohol and drug use. If we can inspire students to keep faith in the future, this should motivate them to hold on to their health. Mr. Reynolds asks students to 1) Talk about their worries and fears to another person, 2) Affirm the positive, 3) Reevaluate: what is real wealth, anyway? Is it only about money? and 4) to "Catch my faith, my rock solid faith in that in the long term, there are wondrous years ahead of us all." He urges students to, "Stay tobacco, drug and alcohol free, for the wondrous, amazing times ahead. Don't smoke, don't drink and don't use drugs — you'll need your health, every precious bit of it, in the incredible future that's coming to us all." To preview this section, see video Clip 5 on our clips page. Finally Mr. Reynolds offers a closing promise — an inspiring vision of the coming tobaccofree society.
After, there is a Q & A session, and if time permits, an informal
reception following the talk. Suggested
local sponsors and talking points email: see Contact tab in left pane
ABOUT
PATRICK REYNOLDS Patrick Reynolds' appearances in the national media and before Congress have made this grandson of tobacco company magnate R.J. Reynolds an internationally known and respected advocate for a smokefree society. Mr. Reynolds saw his father, oldest brother, and other relatives die from cigarette induced emphysema and lung cancer. Concerned about the mounting health evidence against tobacco, in 1986 he became the first tobacco industry figure to turn his back on the cigarette business. In the words of former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, "Patrick Reynolds is one of the nation's most influential advocates of a smokefree America." His book, THE GILDED LEAF, published by Little, Brown in 1989, was a bestseller, and he founded The Foundation for a Smokefree America in the same year. A dynamic speaker, Mr. Reynolds entertains, educates and motivates audiences. And the media coverage of his appearance will bring the smokefree message to your entire community. Patrick Reynolds has addressed Congress, State legislatures, major corporations, associations, health conferences, universities, and high and elementary schools. It is in the latter category that he now wishes to devote the majority of his attention. Patrick Reynolds' appearances in the international press include profiles by Time, Newsweek, AP, UPI, NBC's Tom Brokaw, CBS' Dan Rather, ABC World News, CNN Headline News, and numerous features by the world's major dailies. He has also made memorable TV appearances on Oprah, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Larry King, ABC's Nightline, Phil Donahue, Extra, Entertainment Tonight, and numerous other national and international television and radio shows. Reynolds' program makes for great public relations for your group. He's an ideal speaker for the Great American Smokeout Day, Red Ribbon Week, your Health Awareness Week and World No Tobacco Day. Forward this link to your Community Relations or Public Relations director, and suggest they think about bringing Patrick Reynolds in to speak. Mr. Reynolds has been called powerful, inspirational and motivating. His dynamic talk makes a lasting impression, and media coverage has been consistently positive and strong. Sponsors will build a valuable bridge to their community.
Volunteer five
minutes
Make one local phone call to a likely sponsor, to bring Mr. Reynolds in to present a motivational talk in your city. Your phone call proposing this idea may soon result in a live talk to youth or adults, and you'll have made a difference in your community. Please take a minute and look over our suggested local sponsors and talking points.
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Patrick
Reynolds is a grandson of the tobacco company founder, R.J. Reynolds,
but the family's brands, Camel and Winston, killed his father and
eldest brother.
At colleges, reviving an ancient tradition, near the close of his
talk he often initiates the students into life. The core message of Patrick's initiation is,
"When you were younger, the adults shielded you from the evil and pain in the world. But most adults know that at times, life brings some difficulty. One day a grandparent might die, hopefully when you're in your fifties!
Opens
hearts and minds with the story of his father's death from
smoking 
