West Virginia Kids to 'Kick Butts' on March 18

State Leaders Urged to Support Tobacco Prevention Initiatives

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Mar 13, 2015, 12:00 ET

WASHINGTON, March 13, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kids in West Virginia will stand up to Big Tobacco on March 18 as they join thousands of young people nationwide for the 20^th annual Kick Butts Day. More than 1,000 events are planned nationwide for this day of youth activism, sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. (See below for a list of local events.)

On Kick Butts Day, kids encourage their peers to stay tobacco-free, demand that tobacco companies stop marketing deadly, addictive products to them and encourage elected officials to do more to reduce youth tobacco use.

This year, Kick Butts Day is focusing attention on how the tobacco industry still spends huge sums on marketing and is adopting new strategies to reach young customers. Nationwide, tobacco companies spend $8.8 billion a year – one million dollars every hour – to market tobacco products. In West Virginia, tobacco companies spend $120.4 million annually on marketing efforts. The industry's tactics that entice kids include:

Splashy ads in magazines with large youth readership, such as Sports Illustrated, ESPN the Magazine and Rolling Stone.
Widespread advertising and price discounts in stores, which make tobacco products appealing and affordable to kids.
New, sweet-flavored tobacco products such as small cigars and electronic cigarettes. The latest surveys show that youth use of e-cigarettes has skyrocketed.

In addition to organizing events, kids are standing up to the tobacco industry on social media through the #NotAReplacement selfie campaign. The tobacco industry's own documents reveal that they have long targeted kids as "replacement smokers" for the more than 480,000 people their products kill each year in the United States. Kids are taking selfies to say they're not a replacement and sharing the photos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the #NotAReplacement hashtag. (view the #NotAReplacement selfie gallery)

"On Kick Butts Day, kids stand up and reject Big Tobacco's manipulative marketing," said Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "We can make the next generation tobacco-free and end the tobacco epidemic for good. Elected officials can help reach that goal by standing with kids and supporting proven strategies to prevent youth tobacco use, including higher tobacco taxes, strong smoke-free laws and prevention programs."

In West Virginia, tobacco use claims 4,300 lives and costs $1 billion in health care bills each year. Currently, 19.6 percent of West Virginia's high school students smoke.

On Kick Butts Day, kids engage in creative events that range from small classroom activities about the harmful ingredients in cigarettes to large rallies at state capitols.

In West Virginia, activities include:

Students and RAZE members in Weirton will hold an interactive carnival where youth will learn about the dangers of tobacco use through games, performances and canvas pledges. RAZE teens will be honored for their commitment to the program. Time: 3 PM. Location: 927 Edna Road, Weirton. Contact: Jennifer Matheny (304) 670-7781.

Students and SADD members at Robert C. Byrd High School in Clarksburg are taking a stand against tobacco by getting their pictures taken "kicking butts." The photos will be used as part of the SADD campaign for tobacco awareness. Time: 10:45 AM. Location: 1 Eagle Way, Clarksburg. Contact: Rachel Skubis (304) 326-7200.

On March 26, local SADD and RAZE students will hold a flash mob at the Mercer County Courthouse in Princeton to raise awareness about the importance of staying tobacco-free. Time: 12:30 PM. Location: 1501 Main Street, Princeton. Contact: Angie Willoughby (304) 920-7757.

All events are on March 18 unless otherwise indicated. For a full list of Kick Butts Day activities in West Virginia, visit www.kickbuttsday.org/map. Additional information about tobacco, including state-by-state statistics, can be found at www.tobaccofreekids.org.

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SOURCE Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids