To many people, the statistics are startling.

More than 20,000 Ohioans die each year from tobacco use. More than 18 percent of the state's middle school students have used tobacco products in the past 30 days. The number jumps to 41 percent for high school students.

To battle this alarming trend, two local high school students will visit Columbus to take a "stand" against tobacco use.

Brent Kidd, a sophomore at Fairland High School and Courtney Sharp, a junior at Ironton St. Joseph High School will attend the "Stand Winter Summit" this weekend in the state capital.

Stand is an anti-tobacco marketing campaign initiated by the Ohio Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Foundation that is often recognized for its aggressive television commercials.

"This is very important. The tobacco companies spend $334 million in Ohio each year in advertising," said John Goodwin, a prevention specialist with Family Guidance Center who will accompany the students. "We can't compete with that kind of money but the efforts of these youth can definitely make a difference."

At the summit, students from all over Ohio will learn how the tobacco industry glamorizes its products and how youth can combat that message with their own.

Attendees will also hear results of the Stand advertising campaign.

"Peer prevention seems to be more effective according to the research," Goodwin said. "Listening to someone your own age, someone you look up to and respect is much more effective."

Kidd and Sharp are members of the Lawrence County Stand Team that is currently made up of 17 students. These students are from all school districts.

They

will help teach other members of the team on tobacco education and prevention activities targeted at sixth-graders.

For Kidd, rallying against tobacco use was a natural step on an issue that hits very close to home for him after his grandfather passed away from cancer.

"I think it is good to reach out to kids when they are still young before they start using tobacco and get addicted," Kidd said.

If he could convey one message to the youth, he said it would be that tobacco will hurt them and that they should "stand up and be your own person."

Sharp was unable to be reached for comment.

Lawrence County's Stand program is a part of the Appalachian Family and Children First Council Tobacco Prevention Initiative.

The initiative is funded by a grant from the Ohio Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Foundation (TUPCF).