LYNDON CENTER - Lyndon Institute was the home to an educational presentation by a victim of tobacco. People of all ages came out on Monday night to learn about the dangers of the substance.

Rick Bender was diagnosed with oral cancer at the age of 26 after becoming addicted to "spit tobacco" at a very young age. He emphasized that chewing tobacco was often marketed as smokeless tobacco, making it seem less dangerous in comparison to regular cigarettes. He compared traditional cigarettes to "spit tobacco" explaining that one can of the chewable tobacco substance has the equivalent amount of deadly chemicals  as four packs of cigarettes.

Bender takes his presentation all over the country saying "I'll talk to anyone who wants to listen." His goal is keeping deadly substances away from youth and reminding them not to believe everything advertisements tell you.

The presentation was coordinated by Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital and students from Lyndon Institute.

For more information about Rick's story and to see where he will be next,  visit his website at www.nosnuff.com.

 

And for a wealth of local resources about tobacco, visit the Vermont Department of Health's website at http://healthvermont.gov/prevent/tobacco/index.aspx.