New York, NY —

An elected official in Queens is rolling out an ad campaign on the sides of buses telling boys to pull up their pants.

The campaign, known as "Stop the Sag", is meant to counter what some fear is an international epidemic among the younger generation, namely a willful disregard for sartorial norms. State senator Malcolm Smith is spending 2,200 dollars of his campaign funds on the effort. He's been telling youngsters to follow his example.

"I said my pants are up, my image is fine. I said you can be cool as well. This is the new cool, just raising your pants" said Smith.

Smith's associates include former prison inmates who say the look has its roots in jail culture. But one teen, Sharife Wright of Far Rockaway, says that has nothing to do with how he dresses himself.

"If I was to go to jail I'd wear my pants up" said Wright.

The ads will feature images of men sporting the low-slung look, along with the caption "Raise your pants - raise your image. We are better than this. Stop the Sag".