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YouTube stars and big memes team up to tell young people that smoking is a trap

They're borrowing a line from 'Star Wars' in their war with Big Tobacco.

 

Rae Votta

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Posted on Aug 28, 2015   Updated on May 28, 2021, 2:02 am CDT

What would you do if your favorite memes screamed “It’s a trap!” at you every time you lit up a cigarette?

Anti-smoking campaign The Truth is hoping that if you’re a teen or young adult, this approach get you to quit.

In a new video to combat social smoking, YouTube stars like Rachel Levin, Ryan Higa, Christian DelGrosso, and Jerry Purpdrank appeal to young adults to drop their smoking habits. But they’re not alone: Image macro characters like Goosebumps Girl and Joseph Ducreux/Archaic Rap offer Admiral Ackbar’s classic Star Wars warning, “It’s a trap!” in reference to the tobacco industry.

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The spot will run during Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards.

It’s not the first time an anti-smoking campaign has used YouTubers to target young smokers. Earlier this year, several creators partnered to make LeftSwipeDat, a musical video encouraging viewers not to date people with cigarettes in their profiles. That spot premiered during the Grammy Awards, another youth-heavy award show.

Screengrab via truthorange/YouTube

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*First Published: Aug 28, 2015, 8:17 am CDT