Celebrate Kick Butts Day on March 23!

February 22, 2011 -- Help encourage young people to stand up against the tobacco industry by celebrating the sixteenth annual Kick Butts Day on March 23, 2011.

Kick Butts Day was started in 1995 by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids  (CTFK) as a way for young people to stand up against the tobacco industry, promote visibility around youth smoking, and let tobacco companies know that kids won’t stand for the barrage of youth-targeted products and advertising. 

This year, Kick Butts Day is highlighting 100% smoke-free workplaces and public places, which include schools, as one of its focus areas.   More than 1,000 young people become addicted to tobacco products every day as a result of tobacco industry tactics, and tobacco-free schools provide one excellent way help prevent kids from starting to smoke and encouraging those who already do to quit.

Kick Butts Day provides a great opportunity for schools to involve youth in an anti-tobacco campaign, and CTFK provides resources and promotional materials for little or no cost.  To get started, download the 2011 Kick Butts Day Guide, and consider brainstorming with group of teens about adopting a comprehensive tobacco-free schools policy, or convening a youth panel to discuss 100 percent tobacco-free policy implementation and enforcement. 

For more information on tobacco use prevention through schools, visit NSBA’s National Consortium on Tobacco Use Prevention through Schools webpage or email schoolhealth@nsba.org.  The NSBA School Health website also includes a "Tobacco Use Prevention 101” packet, links to other useful resources, and a database which provides background information, sample policies, and more.  For ideas for quick, low-cost and easy Kick Butts Day activities already being planned in your community, please click here.