High School Students Planning to Kick Butt

For Release April 9
Contact: Deborah Messina Kleinman 925-648-7763
925-803-7400 ext 4000

There is a group of students in south Contra Costa County that is determined to let their classmates know about the sneaky tactics the tobacco industry uses to get young people addicted to smoking. They are so committed to spreading the word that they have organized "Kick Butt Day" at three local schools.

Students and faculty from physical education, health education, leadership and other classes at the San Ramon High in Danville (April 13th), Del Amigo High in Danville and California High in San Ramon (April 14th) will all participate in day-long activities designed to raise awareness about how tobacco advertising glamorizes smoking, a deadly addiction.

"We want to make sure everyone knows how hard the tobacco industry works to deceive us, make us think it's cool to smoke cigarettes and cigars and turn us into lifelong addicts," says Gary Young, a student at Cal High.

To generate interest and hopefully get the attention of every single student, the organizers of Kick Butt Day have arranged for a variety of events, including a visit from an eye-catching pro-health van at each school, prize give-aways and classroom presentations by students. Social studies, physical education, health teachers, administrators and students are all working on the effort. A letter writing campaign to local newspapers is also planned.

A countywide youth mobilization project, TIGHT (Tobacco Industry Gets Hammered by Teens) will be on hand to encourage students to get involved in local political action.

Cal High Teacher Deborah Messina-Kleinman, who is coordinating the day, says school officials also hope increasing awareness about tobacco will stimulate students' interest in a new program aimed at helping youth quit smoking.

"The bottom line is that the youth smoking rate is up. It has continued to rise every year for the last few years. We've made great progress with encouraging adults to quit but we are losing the battle with youth smokers. Events like this are important to our children's future," says Messina-Kleinman.

Content provided by the Tobacco Prevention Project of Contra Costa Health Services.