DeKalb County residents are invited to view the WSB-TV half-hour special, FATAL ADDICTION followed by a town hall meeting with county leaders, Thursday June 27 at 6 p.m. at the DeKalb County Board of Health's Bohan Auditorium, 445 Winn Way in Decatur. Refreshments will be served.

The program is co-sponsored by the DeKalb Prevention Alliance for Tobacco Control and Health (PATCH) and the Georgia Alliance for Tobacco Prevention. In the TV program, viewers will meet individuals and families whose lives have been changed forever by beginning to smoke cigarettes. And the show presents people who are trying to make a difference to prevent young people from falling into this deadly habit.

These are people like FATAL ADDICTION's Dean Coward, 55, who will join DeKalb County representatives on a panel after the show to examine tobacco prevention policy initiatives and educational opportunities, especially regarding youth. Mr. Coward's family grew tobacco and he started smoking at around age 10. He was dying of emphysema when the show was taped; however, a recent lung transplant saved his life.

In addition to Mr. Coward, the panel will include DeKalb's state legislators, Sen. Gloria S. Butler and Rep. Arnold Ragas as well as Faye Lyons-Gary, PATCH Secondhand Smoke Committee Chair.

WSB-TV took the lead in coordinating statewide commercial sponsorships and distribution for eight Georgia television stations to air the show the week of June 24. According to WSB General Manager Greg Stone, the program is "so moving and so impactful, we felt we had to air it for the entire community. It's an important message that too many young people either don't know or try to ignore. We believe the program's emotion will open their eyes."

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