Kids Across America Will ‘Kick Butts’ on March 21

WASHINGTON, DC — Kids across America will take center stage in the fight against tobacco tomorrow, March 21, as they participate in the 17th annual Kick Butts Day. More than 1,100 events are planned across the nation.

Organized by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and sponsored by the United Health Foundation, Kick Butts Day is an annual celebration of youth leadership and activism in the fight against tobacco use. On Kick Butts Day, youth will encourage their peers to stay tobacco-free and educate their communities about the dangers of tobacco and the tobacco industry’s harmful marketing practices.

This year, Kick Butts Day comes just after a new report by the U.S. Surgeon General found that, while the nation has made tremendous progress in reducing youth smoking, youth tobacco use remains a “pediatric epidemic” that requires urgent action. The Surgeon General’s report reached the following conclusions:

• While the high school smoking rate has been cut nearly in half since the mid-1990s, more than 3.6 million middle and high school students still smoke.

• In addition to long-term consequence such as cancer and heart disease, tobacco use immediately harms the health of youth and young adults. Smoking quickly causes nicotine addiction, cardiovascular damage, slower lung growth and shortness of breath.

• Tobacco marketing causes kids to start and continue using tobacco products. Tobacco companies spend more than $10 billion a year – more than $1 million an hour – to advertise and promote their products.

• Science and experience have identified proven strategies to reduce youth tobacco use. These include mass media campaigns, increasing the price of cigarettes through higher tobacco tax, smoke-free policies, and school and community prevention programs.

“Kids are sending two powerful messages on Kick Butts Day: They want the tobacco companies to stop targeting them, and they want elected leaders to protect them from tobacco,” said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “As the Surgeon General’s report reminded us, we know how to win the fight against tobacco. Elected officials across the nation should support these proven solutions, including higher tobacco taxes, strong smoke-free laws and well-funded tobacco prevention programs.”

On Kick Butts Day, kids turn the tables on Big Tobacco with events that range from “They put WHAT in a cigarette?” demonstrations to health fairs to rallies at state capitols.

For a list of Kick Butts Day events by state, visit www.kickbuttsday.org/events. Additional information about tobacco, including state-by-state statistics, can be found at www.tobaccofreekids.org.

Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, killing more than 400,000 people and costing $96 billion in health care bills each year. Nationally, 19.5 percent of high school students still smoke, and another 1,000 kids become regular smokers every day.