by Holly Schoenstein

Reporter

Cuyahoga Falls -- He's tired of breathing in secondhand smoke. And he's letting everyone know.

Munroe Falls resident Tyler Fisher, 12, hosted a rally April 5 at the Falls River Square Amphitheater in Cuyahoga Falls in an effort to bring awareness about the harmful effects of cigarette smoking.

He organized the rally as part of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids' 13th annual Kick Butts Day, which was officially scheduled for April 2.

Approximately 20 people listened to the Kimpton Middle School seventh-grader talk about the harmful substances in cigarettes.

"We're standing up against Big Tobacco targeting youth," Tyler said after the rally, which he said was the first of several events he intends to organize. "We're teens and we have a lot to live for."

Two of Tyler's aunts died from lung cancer in 2006; Tyler said this was the impetus for his involvement.

After an hour of rallying, Tyler and three friends marched with signs along Riverfront Centre Mall.

Kick Butts Day is the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids' main activity. "We were founded in 1995 to provide an effort to reduce tobacco use in the United States," said Vince Willmore, a campaign spokesman. "We know what works to prevent kids from smoking and to prevent tobacco use in general ... Our focus is putting in place the policies to fund these programs to reduce smoking."

Every day this week, he is appearing on Kimpton's morning video announcements, relaying facts and performing skits about smoking.

Students will be invited to pledge not to smoke by signing a "pledge wall" and to sign a petition that will be sent to the Food and Drug Administration demanding regulation for tobacco products.

Several of Tyler's former classmates from Bolich Middle School in Cuyahoga Falls showed their support.

"Tyler asked us to come and help," said Jeffrey Semler, a seventh-grader at Bolich. "My parents smoke, and I want them to stop. I've asked them, and they're trying."

"I'm very proud of Tyler," said Stacey Fisher, Tyler's mother. "It's a great thing to get involved in. I hope it leads to bigger and better things for him."

Tyler believes his activism persuaded his mother to quit smoking three months ago.

She agreed his involvement in the anti-smoking movement influenced her.

"It was just time to quit and get healthier," she said.

Cheryl Abshire, a civilian youth caseworker at the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, spoke at the rally about the harmful chemicals in cigarettes and the effects and addictive nature of smoking.

"I was really proud of Tyler for putting it together," Abshire said. "I told him I was and based on his convictions, I thought he was going to make changes in the world."

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