Health and Fitness : Kick Butts, Save Lives: National Day Gives Youth a Voice on Tobacco Dangers

Few things have as much universal agreement as the dangers of smoking and tobacco use. After decades of denial, the health consequences of such use are widely accepted, and efforts to curb it are more proactive than ever. Yet, like all addictive substances, it won’t go away without a fight. Nationally, nearly ¼ of all adults are classified as current smokers. Staggeringly, approximately 480,000 people will die at the hands of smoking or exposure to second hand smoke. This only underscores the need for more awareness and action to prevent further victims. As history has taught us, often times the most powerful voices are those of our youth. Kick Butts day, a national day of activism, will empower youth to do that this March 18th.

For many, the thought of smoking does not evoke images of kids or even high school students. To them, smoking is something done by adults, a dated habit that will go by the wayside with the passage of time. This would be a misnomer, as over 15% of high school students are current smokers, with nearly that same percentage of male students using smokeless tobacco. Surprise you? It shouldn’t, considering we know that nearly 3,000 kids under the age of 18 try smoking for the first time each day, with the tobacco industry adding nearly 700 underage daily smokers every day. Even worse, youth that stay away from smoking themselves may still face the dangers of cigarette smoke, with over 40% of children aged 3-11 facing such exposure. This paints the picture not of an older-persons’ habit, but a very real problem for our kids.

Thankfully, many efforts are being undertaken to address this issue. Schools across the county are passing nicotine-free policies to not only stamp out tobacco use, but also address the growing trend of e-cigarette use and other nicotine based products that could very well lead in to cigarette use. Once educated, many youth want to take an active role in preventing their fellow peers in going down the tobacco path. Kick Butts day is one such venue in which youth across the county, from elementary to high school grades, can make sure their voice is heard.

Taking place once a year, Kick Butts Day comprises more than 1,000 independently organized events, often conducted at schools, that highlight the dangers of tobacco use. The events seek to illustrate the dangers in a very real way through countless activities, decided upon by the group. Examples include simple letter writing campaigns to legislators, but also more visual presentations, such as laying out body bags or chalk outlines representing the thousands of victims of tobacco use each year.

This March 18th marks the 20th year of Kick Butts Day, a program which has aided in the many strides against tobacco use. School districts through the area will be participating. For more information on starting such a group, or in planning a Kick Butts Day activity for your group or school, please contact the Area Substance Abuse Council’s Prevention Office at (319)-390-1884, or email prevention@asac.us, and by visiting http://asac.us/prevention/

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Sources:

http://www.kickbuttsday.org/about/faqs/

http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0072.pdf?utm_source=factsheets_finder&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=analytics