Film Premiere Features Teen Actors

Nine Middlesex County teens and will see themselves on the big screen tonight in a 20-minute film that depicts the immediate effects of tobacco smoke upon young brains. 

The red-carpet premiere will honor the actors of its original educational film: Hijacking Happiness: Tobacco and Your Brain.

The film was produced by and features young actors and actresses from Middlesex County schools. It was paid for with a portion of a $71,000 grant from the state Department of Public Health, says Lisa Mason, community health liason for the MSAAC.

The DVD will be used at Middletown's Connecticut Juvenile Training School and Deep River's Mount Saint John, residential treatment centers for at-risk and delinquent boys.

"We received requests from health teachers to find an innovative way to teach middle and high school students how tobacco use impacts the brain and its transmission of dopamine," Mason says. "The film shows young people in three different vignettes — in a restaurant, playing football and at a house party — enjoying themselves and we use animation to show what happens in the brain when you crave a cigarette."

Most anti-smoking education directed toward children of this age focuses on the longterm effects, Mason says, like lung cancer, heart disease. "This shows the immediate things that happens to you."

Twenty percent of teens and adults smoke, which is down significantly in the last several decades for several reasons, Mason says. "There is more information out there about the health effects, there are environmental restrictions — fewer public places where people can smoke — every time taxes go up it really impacts young people and we've really educated vendors about restricting sales" and merchants who sell to minors are being actively pursued by law enforcement.

Teen actors are: Miassha Cain, Amanda Lucas, Sean McCarthy, Will Meyers, Arthur Moore, Kelly St. Amand, Jason Ferrucci, James (JD) Walsh and Samantha Zgombick.

The film begins at 7 p.m. at the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, 393 Main St., Middletown. The screening is open to the public.

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