Oregon Kids Will 'Kick Butts' on March 19

State Leaders Urged to Support Tobacco Prevention Initiatives

News provided by

Mar 13, 2014, 12:36 ET

WASHINGTON, March 13, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kids in Oregon will stand up against tobacco on March 19 as they join thousands of young people nationwide for the 19^th annual Kick Butts Day. More than 1,400 events are planned across the nation. (See below for details on events in Klamath Falls March 15 and Beaverton March 19.)

Organized by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Kick Butts Day is an annual celebration of youth leadership and activism in the fight against tobacco. On Kick Butts Day, youth will encourage their peers to stay tobacco-free and educate their communities about the tobacco industry's harmful marketing practices.

This year, Kick Butts Day comes as new information reaffirms the urgent need for action. The United States is marking the 50^th anniversary of the first Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health, and a new Surgeon General's report released in January found that smoking is even more hazardous than previously thought. Key findings of the report include:

Each year, smoking kills 480,000 people in the U.S. and costs the nation at least $289 billion in health care bills and other economic losses.
Without urgent action to reduce smoking, 5.6 million U.S. children alive today will die prematurely from smoking-caused disease. That includes 68,000 children in Oregon alone.
Tobacco marketing causes kids to start and continue using tobacco products.

Nationwide, tobacco companies spend $8.8 billion a year – one million dollars each hour – to market cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products. In particular, tobacco companies target youth with magazine ads, store ads and discounts, and fruit- and candy-flavored small cigars that look just like cigarettes.

"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. "Elected officials must stand with them by supporting proven measures to protect kids from tobacco addiction, including tobacco taxes, smoke-free laws and prevention programs. On the 50^th anniversary of the first Surgeon General's report, we need bold action to create a tobacco-free generation and end the tobacco epidemic for good."

In Oregon alone, tobacco use claims 4,800 lives and costs $1.54 billion in health care bills each year. Currently, 9.4 percent of the state's high school students smoke.

On Kick Butts Day, kids turn the tables on Big Tobacco in creative ways, with events that range from small classroom activities about the harmful ingredients in cigarettes to large rallies at state capitols.

Activities in Oregon include:

On Saturday, March 15, the Tobacco Prevention and Education Programs from Klamath Tribal Health and Klamath County's Public Health Department will host a health fair at Klamath Union High School with informational booths and displays to illustrate the dangers of tobacco use. Time: 9 AM. Location: 1300 Monclaire Street, Klamath Falls. Contact: Merritt Driscoll (541) 882-1487 ext. 226.

On March 19, Providence Health and Services of Oregon has partnered with High School Health Occupation Students throughout six area schools to celebrate Kick Butts Day. One event, at Beaverton High School, will feature anti-tobacco public service announcements and a tobacco-free ribbon campaign. Time: 7:20 AM. Location: 13000 S.W. 2^nd Street, Beaverton. Contact: Jessica Maung (971) 998-9549.

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

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080918/CFTFKLOGO

SOURCE Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids