Just Eliminate Lies

Who: Melissa Nelson
Age: Teen
What: Volunteering with Just Eliminate Lies


This Wednesday we bring to you an article about a teen participating in Just Eliminate Lies (JEL) who hopes to eliminate lies about tobacco use. This is a wonderful article and an awesome youth lead organization. In addition to this article, I would like to add a thought that our youth today has more knowledge then prior young generations had about how bad tobacoo really is--yet I still see young kids smoking everyday. I know it's not something that will be stopped completely; however, if you stop for yourself, that is making a difference. This article is from The Sioux City Journal.


Student hopes to eliminate lies about tobacco use
By Joanne Fox, Journal staff writer

Melissa Nelson held a jar with contents that would make even the strongest stomach wretch -- a jar of tar, representing what would be filtered by a smoker for a year.

Nelson, who has been a member of JEL (Just Eliminate Lies) since the seventh grade, is now the president for the State of Iowa. Her involvement came about from the invitation of a classmate.

"The mom of one of my friends was involved in the Community Partnership and invited me to attend a meeting," Nelson said of the Woodbury County program funded by the State of Iowa. "JEL was part of the presentation."

It was an eye-opening moment for the young woman. Nelson has now been involved for almost five years.

"I wanted to do more than just athletics and choir," she said of her choice of this extra-curricular activity. "I thought my involvement with JEL would really be making a difference."

JEL is a youth-led, anti-tobacco group. It is operated under the auspices of the Iowa Department of Public Health -- Division of Tobacco Use Prevention and Control. The organization involves thousands of Iowa youth dedicated to giving teens the true, "unfiltered" facts about smoking, fighting against the tobacco companies campaign, and changing people's attitudes.

The organization has chapters associated with schools that have over 7,000 members, who focus their no-smoking message on younger teens who may take up smoking. But first, they are educated in the dangers and pitfalls of tobacco use, Nelson said.

"I was very surprised to learn how addictive nicotine was," she said of those early meetings she attended. "The other thing that surprised me was how much money tobacco companies make in profits."

Another shock was the advertising dollars spent to entice people to smoke -- especially young people, Nelson said.

"The more I learned the more determined I was to encourage family and friends and even people I didn't know to not start smoking or to quit," she said.

Nelson continued her association with JEL through her high school years. During her sophomore year at Bishop Heelan, she attended her first JEL summit, a three-day rally that provides participants with information and encouragement to continue their fight against smoking.

"There were 300 teens at that summit and that's when I really decided to throw myself into this," Nelson said. "I went ahead and applied to be on the executive council."

The 35 members of the JEL executive council are the driving force behind gathering information, scheduling events and orchestrating meetings. Nelson made it through the application process and was chosen to join the group during her junior year.

Nelson was elected secretary her senior year and now, as a freshman at the University of Iowa, she serves as the president. Among the pluses of being associated with JEL are the summits -- which Nelson has attended at Ames, Grinnell and Indianola -- and other travel, such as Minneapolis, Oklahoma City and New York.

Mother Mickey Nelson said her daughter tends to be humble about her involvement with JEL.

"Her trip to New York? She missed her high school prom," Mickey Nelson said. "She said it wasn't a big deal, but I think for most girls, prom is a big deal. I'm so proud of her commitment to JEL."

Nelson visited an Altria share-holders' meeting, the parent company of Philip Morris International, as part of a protest.

"Some of those in attendance were pretty verbal at the end of the meeting asking questions," she said. "We were all asked to leave, but I think we got our point across."

This year, JEL members advocated for legislation that supports local control of smoke-free ordinances in the State of Iowa. Each year, JEL Youth Advocacy Day in Des Moines gives young Iowans a chance to speak to their legislators about current tobacco control issues and bills. Approximately 250 JEL members, including Nelson, participated in this year's advocacy day on Feb. 13 on the west steps of the Capitol.

As a college student, Nelson, 18, continues working with JEL. She will remain on the executive council for another year as the past president.

"I want to stay with it because I see the effect we have on people," she said. "And then, you never know who you might help to quit or never start smoking."

VITA

Name: Melissa Nelson

Hometown: Sioux City

Education: 2007 graduate of Bishop Heelan High School; presently a freshman at the University of Iowa, majoring in communication studies

Professional: worked for Younkers in Sioux City; continues to work at Younkers in Iowa City

Personal: daughter of Randy and Mickey Nelson; three older brothers, Eric, Jim and Andy

How she's making a difference: by volunteering with Just Eliminate Lies

Want to know more?
Contact your high school or visit the JEL Web site at www.jeliowa.org.