The Youth Action Council at Kingfisher Middle School last week promoted Kick Butts, a national time of activism when youth stand out and speak up against tobacco.

Throughout the week, members supported Kick Butts in a variety of ways, including through morning announcements highlighting tobacco facts such as:

• On average, smokers die 10 years earlier than nonsmokers.  

• There are 1,300 tobacco related deaths every day. That’s 480,000 deaths each year.

• Smoking kills more people than AIDS, car accidents, illegal drugs, murders and suicides combined.

• There are 41,000 deaths every year from secondhand smoke.

• A  pack-a-day smoker will lose two teeth every year.        ›

Students also created a  sympathy card  dedicated to loved ones who’ve died from tobacco related-illnesses. It was posted in the hall where students could add names of their lost loved ones.

Students signed a pledge throughout the week to be the “First Generation to be Tobacco Free.”

And finally, the fifth grade members of YAC did a  service project where they picked up trash and “butts” at Shaw Park.

The group is sponsored by Liz Walter.

For more information and help on how to quit tobacco use contact the Oklahoma tobacco hotline at okhelpline.com or call 1- 800-quitnow.