This information comes from Kevin Keenan, Smoke Free NOW coordinator at GCASA.
Local students braved the cold to show their support of Kick Butts Day and stood on the corner of Main and Jefferson streets holding signs depicting the negative impact of tobacco -- especially for youth.
Students for Cain's Tae Kwon Do Academy took part Monday and about 22 teens in Oakfield-Alabama’s Leadership Class did so Wednesday.
Kick Butts Day is the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids’ annual celebration of youth advocacy, leadership and activism. On Wednesday, thousands of youth in every state and around the world decided to STAND OUT…SPEAK UP…and SEIZE CONTROL AGAINST BIG TOBACCO.
The Cain’s academy participation was organized by Smoke Free NOW -- a program of Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse (GCASA) – as part of a campaign to protect kids from the impact of tobacco marketing in stores where 75 percent of teens visit each week.
More young people across the state are recognizing the powerful influence of tobacco marketing and saying no to the addictive habit.
Smoke Free NOW congratulates the efforts of these students who’ve set a good example for their peers.
Studies show that exposure to cigarette advertising leads nonsmoking adolescents to initiate smoking and to move toward the habit of smoking. Each year in New York State, 20,900 kids under 18 will become new regular, daily smokers and more than 380,000 kids now under 18 will ultimately die prematurely from smoking-related illnesses.
We can’t afford to lose anymore youth to tobacco addiction. To learn more and get involved, contact Smoke Free NOW at 815-1875 or visit www.smokefreenow.org
