I am grateful that my kids don’t smoke. My daughter (almost 17) admitted that she tried it once last summer with a friend (who is a bad influence) offered her a cigarette to try. She tried it and hated it but mostly she thought about how she didn’t want to die from lung cancer.
We embedded into our kid’s heads since they were old enough to understand that smoking is dangerous for your health. In fact when they were younger they would constantly say things about their grandfather smoking (he started when he was 15) and whenever they saw someone on the side walk smoking they would walk far away from them so as not to risk second hand smoke.
Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, killing 480,000 people and costing the nation at least $289 billion in health care bills and other economic losses each year.
I am disappointed that our daughter tried to smoke a cigarette but grateful she hated it and came to her senses. I guess we’ll just chalk this one up for peer pressure. FYI… she is not allowed to hang out with that girl anymore. She’s nothing but trouble, sad to say.
Our son is 14 and in the 9th grade. He recently told me about a female classmate of his (a girl that we know) and how she’s started smoking. How is it that the parents don’t know that? Doesn’t she smell like smoke and where does a 14 year old get cigarettes from or even the money to buy them?
TODAY – March 19, 2014 – is the 19th annual Kick Butts Day, a national campaign to help educate youths and parents about the dangers of tobacco products, especially for children.
Organized by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and sponsored by the United Health Foundation, Kick Butts Day is an annual celebration of youth leadership and activism in the fight against tobacco. 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.
Did you know that 1,200 people die EVERY DAY from tobacco? Thank about that for a moment and let it sink in… One thousand, two hundred people die EVERY DAY from tobacco related diseases.
In addition, 280,000 New York kids alive today will DIE prematurely from smoking. That is just a statistic for New York. I a sure that most states have similar stats. That means that many children you know – your child’s friends, classmates, relatives or neighbors – will not live a full, long life because they will die from complications from tobacco related health issues. That is very sad and very scary too. It also makes me mad that smoking is still an issue with youths.
The goal of Kick Butts Day is to educate children, parents, teachers and caregivers about the dangers of tobacco in hope of one day wiping cigarettes out of our lives for good.
Its sad to think that it will take that long to totally abolish cigarettes from our lives. I wish it could happen sooner.
Personally I don’t smoke. I am not judging anyone who does smoke. That is their prerogative. So please don’t jump all over me about why you, as an adult, smokes. “To each his own” my mom always told me. I’m just concerned about youth who smoke. I think we can all agree that children and teens should not be smoking the same way they should not be consuming alcohol or illegal substances.
In the state of New York, 11.9% of high school students smoke and 12,900 become new daily smokers each year. Nationally it was found that 18.1% of high school students still smoke. That percentage should be 0%!
Did you know that nationwide, tobacco companies spend $8.8 billion a year to market cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products (like Hookah Pens and E-Cigarettes). Tobacco companies knowingly target youths magazine and store ads, discounts and candy (or fruit) flavored small cigars that look just like cigarettes.
This year, Kick Butts Day comes as new information reaffirms the urgent need for action. The United States is marking the 50th anniversary of the first Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health, and a new Surgeon General’s report found that smoking is even more hazardous than previously thought. The report found that without urgent action to reduce smoking, 5.6 million U.S. children alive today will die prematurely from smoking-caused deaths.
Some companies are already making efforts to eliminate tobacco from our lives. Recently CVS announced that starting later this year they will phase out all tobacco products from their stores nationwide. CVS is also a proud supporter of Kick Butts Day.
There is a special printable that you can print out and use in support of Kick Butts Day. Simply download the print out (found here) and take a photo of yourself with the sign by your nearest CVS and then upload your photo on the various social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram…) using the hashtags #StandWithCVS and #KickButtsDay.
A suggested message: “I #StandWithCVS on #KickButtsDay to #MakeTobaccoHistory @CVS_Extra”
If you don’t have a social media page you can email the photo/photos to info@kickbuttsday.org. All the photos will be used in a special online photo gallery in support of Kick Butts Day and Stand With CVS.
Kick Butts Day needs your support to help Make Tobacco History (#MakeTobaccoHistory).
To learn more about Kick Butts Day please visit www.KickButtsDay.org or www.TobaccoFreeKids.org.
In addition please check out Kick Butts Day and Tobacco Free Kids on Facebook as well as Kick Butts Day and Tobacco Free Kids on Twitter. The official hashtags are #KickButtsDay and #MakeTobaccoHistory.
What do you do to ensure that your children or grandchildren don’t fall victim to the tobacco companies or peer pressure and give in to smoking?
Are you, your family, school or organization planning anything for Kick Butts Day?
Feel free to share your thoughts.
Kimberly
*Although compensated the opinions expressed are entirely my own and not influenced in any way.
Nancy Loring says
I agree with you about smoking. I have 3 kids the youngest is 16 and none of them smoke. I also have drilled into them since they were you the dangers of smoking and they actully listened to me. I’ve got good kids.
Nancy Loring says
I am happy to say that none of my kids smoje. They are totally against it.
alona y says
I love this post! The simple act of talking to kids about smoking from a young age and explaining why it’s so bad for your health is such a great thing to do. I started smoking around 15 and now at 31 I just went down to 1-2 a day and am so close to getting of them for good. I can’t recall a single conversation with either of my parents about smoking and health! All I can say is that e-cigarettes (a good battery and low nicotine juice, not the little ones that look like cigarettes) have made this possible and I could go on and on about how life-changing they have been for me. There is a ton of information out there about them, and also unfortunately a ton of mis-information that might lead someone to believe they are bad… I am no longer inhaling tar or thousands of terrible chemicals all day long. Nicotine is about as harmful as caffeine when used this way, so I am okay with that. Inhaling water vapor vs. burning tobacco is also a completely different action. My best friend has been cigarette free for 4 months, it’s an inspiration and I am amazed that there is really a way to quit, as patches and inhalers have something like a 3% success rate.
Maryann D. says
It always upsets me to see young teens smoking. They can’t possibly realize how many health problems that they will eventually have. I am also glad my children hate cigarette smoke and complain about all the kids smoking at their college.