(Canastota, NY – March 2014) Local youth from Canastota Jr./Sr. High School have seen enough marketing from the tobacco industry and joined youth around the country to stand up and speak out against big tobacco on Kick Butts Day, March 19.
Students alert the community about what is now a known cause of youth smoking – tobacco marketing in stores. Three seventh grade students in Mrs. Bonczek’s Canastota Health Class went above and beyond what was required of them for their school projects on the negative impact of tobacco. They reached out to BRIDGES Tobacco Prevention and Reality Check to bring together a press conference to spread their tobacco prevention message beyond the walls of their school. These students are concerned about the impact of tobacco and tobacco marketing near their schools.
The 2014 Surgeon General Report concludes that promotional activities by the tobacco companies cause the onset and continuation of smoking among adolescents and young adults.
XC Riggall, 12, of Canastota presenting at the press conference shared that “In New York State, 107,000 high school students smoke cigarettes.” Each year, more than 15,000 kids under 18 become new daily smokers. According to the 2014 Surgeon General’s report, if current smoking rates continue, 5.6 million Americans younger than 18 who are alive today are projected to die prematurely from smoking-related disease.
Tobacco Displays in New York State are an average of 32 square feet of tobacco products or the equivalent of more than 200 cigarette pack faces.
“Smoking kills and we’ve got to protect kids from the cause,” said Justine Sales, 14, Reality Check youth advocate from New Hartford. “Kids think smoking is okay since they see tobacco marketing every day in stores that they go to, but we want to change that.”
“Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids sponsors Kick Butts Day,” said Garrett Whitmeyer, 13. “There will be more than 1,000 events in schools and communities across the United States and around the world.”
“Our kids deserve to be protected from tobacco marketing,” said Linda Bonczek, health teacher at Canastota Central School. “Since nearly all adults started smoking before the age of 18, parents and community members must be aware of the impact of all this tobacco marketing and take steps to protect our kids.”
For more information about the harmful effects of tobacco marketing at the point of sale, visit www.seenenoughtobacco.org.