Hall teens to participate in campaign to prevent youth tobacco use

GAINESVILLE - Hall County teens will join the fight against the use of tobacco by young people next week by participating in Kick Butts Day.

Teens across Georgia will join thousands around the country in the nationwide initiative of the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.

As part of the Kick Butts Day celebration on April 13, Hall County elementary, middle and high school students are organizing events against youth tobacco use.

They will participate in a variety of Kick Butts Day activities such as educational skits about chemicals in tobacco, creating posters and making tobacco free promises.

"Kick Butts Day is a way for kids in Hall County to take a stand against tobacco use," said Melody A. Stancil, M.D., Health Director for North Health District. "We want to stop youth from starting to use tobacco products such as cigarettes or spit tobacco by letting them know about the dangers of tobacco use. We also want those kids who do smoke or dip to know that they can call the Georgia Tobacco Quit Line if they want help quitting."

Throughout the year, peer educators on Georgia's Youth in CHARGe (Coalition for a Healthy and Responsible Georgia) teams take part in a variety of activities to protect kids from tobacco. Their activities include working with elected officials to develop policies that reduce youth exposure to secondhand smoke and youth access to tobacco products. Educating their peers about tobacco companies' deceptive marketing practices is an important part of what they do.

In Hall County, Youth in Charge will finish the year in May with Dave Goerlitz, the former "Winston Man" coming to Hall County and Gainesville City middle schools to tell his compelling story of his first-hand knowledge of the tobacco company's manipulation of youth to use tobacco products.

"Kids are a powerful part of the solution in reducing youth tobacco use," said Judy Brownell, Hall County's Youth in CHARGe Team Coordinator. "On Kick Butts Day, youth are sending three important messages: to the tobacco industry, stop targeting them with advertising; to elected leaders, do more to protect them from second hand smoke; and to their peers, tobacco use is unacceptable."

The Georgia Tobacco Quit Line is a toll-free resource that offers free counseling, screening, support and referrals to local cessation services. Trained "youth coaches" are available to assist youth callers aged 13-17 in creating a personalized quit plan. Follow-up counseling sessions can be scheduled to help youth callers reach their goal to quit.