State Leaders Urged to Support Tobacco Prevention Initiatives

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kids in Illinois will stand up against tobacco on March 20 as they join thousands of young people nationwide for the 18^th annual Kick Butts Day. More than 1,200 events are planned across the United States. (See below for a list of local events.)

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Organized by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and sponsored by 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. They will also educate their communities about the dangers of tobacco and the tobacco industry's harmful marketing practices.

This year on Kick Butts Day, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is highlighting the tobacco industry's products and marketing that entice kids to use tobacco. According to the Federal Trade Commission, tobacco companies spend $8.5 billion a year – nearly $1 million each hour – to market cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products. This marketing has an impact on kids:

• While the U.S. has greatly reduced youth smoking, 18.1 percent of high school students still smoke, and nearly 1,000 kids become regular smokers each day. Among youth smokers, 86 percent prefer Marlboro, Newport and Camel, which are the three most heavily advertised cigarette brands, according to the government's National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
• Tobacco companies have also introduced new products that appeal to kids, including cheap, sweet, colorfully-packaged small cigars that look just like cigarettes. Many cigars come in fruit and candy flavors such as strawberry, vanilla, peach and apple.
• In a 2012 report, the U.S. Surgeon General concluded that tobacco marketing causes kids to start and continue using tobacco products.

"On Kick Butts Day, kids will stand up and reject Big Tobacco's manipulative marketing," said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "It's also a chance for elected leaders to commit to protecting kids from tobacco through policies such as tobacco taxes, smoke-free laws and prevention programs. We hope that legislators will listen to their young constituents and implement these proven solutions to reduce tobacco use and save lives."

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.

In Illinois, tobacco use claims 16,600 lives and costs $4.1 billion in health care bills each year. Currently, 17.5 percent of the state's high school students smoke.

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. Activities in Illinois include:

• Students from participating schools in Centralia will compete in a poster and video contest to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking within the community. Contest winners will be publically announced on-air by local radio DJ, Bruce Kropp of WJBD's 100.1 FM radio station.  Contact: April Hardy (618) 367-5705.
• Will County Health Department will educate students at Wilmington High School about the harmful effects of smoking and chewing tobacco, and teen advocates will lead an anti-smoking social media campaign. Time: 11 AM. Location: 209 Wildcat Court, Wilmington. Contact: Jillian Gray (815) 325-8281.
• Students from Porta High School's broadcast class and THINK Force in Petersburg will produce two anti-smoking public service announcements to educate their peers about the harmful effects of smoking. After viewing the PSAs, students will make pledges to remain smoke-free. Time: 11 AM. Location: 17651 Blue Jay Road, Petersburg. Contact: Kay Daniel (217) 632-2984.
• On March 21, youth from the St. Clair County Youth Board and other community members will hold a flash mob in downtown Belleville to raise awareness about the harmful effects of smoking and the number of smoking-related deaths that occur every eight seconds. The event will feature educational materials to help community members quit smoking or remain smoke-free. Time: 6 PM. Location: 19 Public Square, Belleville. Contact: Erica Rogers, (618) 825-4489.
• On March 27, Western Illinois University, in collaboration with five other student organizations, will take part in an anti-tobacco awareness event to educate students and faculty about the dangers of smoking and its impact on health as well as the environment. The event will feature a Kick Butts Proclamation signing by the University's president and Michael Inman, the mayor of Macomb. Time: 12 PM. Location: Western Illinois University Union Concourse (ground floor), 1 University Circle, Macomb. Contact: JoAnn Hairston-Jones (309) 202-2164.

(Note: all events are on March 20 unless otherwise indicated.)

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

SOURCE Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids