Celebrate National Kick Butts Day - March 28th
National Kick Butts Day (KBD) is Wednesday, March 28th, 2007. KBD is an annual celebration of youth advocacy, leadership, and activism in the fight against tobacco. It’s a day to stand out, speak up, and take control. Schools and individuals can use this opportunity to raise awareness about the tobacco problem and support strong tobacco prevention policies.
Tobacco use kills more than 400,000 Americans each year and 1,200 each day – more than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined. Lung cancer, throat cancer, heart disease, stroke, and emphysema are just some of the life-threatening diseases linked with smoking. Smoking is also associated with cancers of the mouth, larynx, esophagus, pancreas, cervix, kidney, stomach, and bladder. Smoking also limits the amount of oxygen in the blood; turns teeth and fingernails yellow; makes hair, clothes, and breath smell unpleasant; and causes premature wrinkling of the skin.
Each day about 4,000 kids (under 18) try smoking for the first time, and another 1,000 kids become new regular, daily smokers. In recent years, smoking among high school students has increased -- from 21.9 percent in 2003 to 23 percent in 2005. This is the first time smoking among high school students has increased since 1997. In addition, almost 90 percent of adults who have ever been regular smokers began smoking by the time they were 19. According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the tobacco industry spends over $15.4 billion a year, more than $42 million a day, on advertising and marketing to attract new smokers and keep current smokers smoking.
KBD is an initiative of The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and was launched in September, 1995. To participate in KBD, schools and/or school districts can plan events and activities to raise awareness in their schools and/or community. The KBD website provides free downloadable instructions on how to develop and lead several KBD activities. Activities are divided by age group, estimated preparation time, and cost. They include: “KBD Carnival,” “Face the Truth,” “Cigarette Butt Clean-up,” “Knock Out Tobacco Ads,” among others. KBD also has merchandise available for purchase including stickers, posters, and wristbands.
For additional information, please contact:
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Attn: Kick Butts Day Registration
1400 I Street, NW
Suite 1200
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 296-5469
Source: National Kick Butts Day website