With limos, a red carpet, and glamorous "stars", the Fame & Shame Awards show looks like its more famous cousin in Hollywood.

But these awards are designed to expose the tobacco industry’s influence in Hollywood, and to point out how popular actors and movies encourage young people to start smoking. 

Youth presenters hand out “Shamie Awards” to actors, actresses, directors and producers who glamorize smoking in youth-rated G, PG and PG-13 movies.

Throughout the evening, New Mexico youth portray the Hollywood stars, delivering tongue-in-cheek acceptance speeches to a chorus of boos from the audience.

It's a fun way to educate and mobilize young people around a very serious issue. Recent research proves that exposure to on-screen smoking is the primary cause of youth smoking.

The awards ceremony also honors middle school and high school students from around the state who work to educate their peers about tobacco use and the tobacco industry’s efforts to recruit young smokers.

The idea for the Fame & Shame Awards originated with Reality Check, a New York organization created by teens to expose the tobacco industry's tricks, lies and manipulation. We liked the idea, and brought it to New Mexico in 2005.

The annual event is part of the growing, nationwide Smoke Free Movies Campaign.

The Fame & Shame Awards are
co-sponsored by New Mexico Voices for Children and the Media Literacy Project, with funding from the New Mexico Department of Health, Public Health Division, Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Program (TUPAC).