A study explored the impact on junior high school females of "don't smoke" public service announcements (PSAs) created by two groups of high school females. The study extended the research on relevance and persuasion by utilizing intimate issues, and by exploring the potential for increasing message relevance by using persuasive messages created by peer member focus groups. Four female smokers and four female non-smokers were recruited from a northern California suburban public high school. The two groups (working separately) decided on a scenario and a script to be videotaped for their respective PSAs. To measure responses to the PSAs, 217 eighth-grade students from a junior high school completed a questionnaire. Results indicated that: (1) female smokers rated the smokers group PSA to be more relevant and to be of greater perceived effectiveness than the nonsmokers group PSA; (2) female adolescents who have experimented with cigarette smoking did not perceive more relevance in the smokers group PSA than in the PSA created by the nonsmokers; however, (3) females who have experimented with smoking found the smokers group PSA to be significantly more effective than the nonsmokers group PSA. Findings suggest the contributions that can be made by those who are usually on the receiving end of pedagogy should be recognized and affirmed, and that further research is needed to distinguish between issue relevance and message relevance. (Eight tables of data are included; 31 references are attached.) (RS)