It is not every day that we have the opportunity to meet ordinary people dealing with extraordinary circumstances, and who are willing to be open, honest, and in your face about their day-to-day struggles.
Fortunately, for the Arkansas Youth Leadership Initiative, we have Mr. William “Billy” Patterson. He is a man with a simple message: “If I had never smoked, none of this would have happened.” He is unapologetic about sharing the truth, and in Billy’s case, the Truth Hurts.
Mr. Billy is passionate about speaking to as many young people as he possibly can. His hope is to discourage young people from smoking. He is willing to expose his vulnerability and his past addiction to tobacco, and let others know the health consequences of his decision to use tobacco at a young age.
Test your knowledge of the dangers of tobacco and the consequences of tobacco use. Then, learn how the decision to use tobacco has cost Mr. Billy his lifestyle, and may ultimately cost him his life.
