Collected trash from the 2016 Kick Butts Day Clean-Up at Mount Royal Elementary

By: Ana Shimeall

Kick Butts Day is a national day of activism that was created to combat nicotine addiction where tobacco reliance often begins – America’s youth. 90% of adults start smoking by the age of 18. On March 16th each year, schools and communities hold events to raise awareness about the hazards of tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure among children across the country. In recognition of this year’s Kick Butts Day, Baltimore’s own Mount Royal Elementary Middle School held a rally to raise awareness about tobacco use in their community and picked up cigarette butts and tobacco product litter around their school and community.   5th-8th grade students created slogans that they put on signs and chanted during their walk, “Hey Hey Ho Ho cigarette smoke has got to go!,”  ‘Cigarettes will make you choke!’ and ‘Cigarettes will make you broke!’

Mount Royal is not alone in their efforts- The Baltimore City Health Department is an active force in the fight against underage tobacco use. The Health Department offers free education programs for groups of students K-12. Any individual who works with children can call 410-396-3718 to request our youth tobacco educator to come to speak to a school or group. However, educating kids about the dangers of tobacco is only addressing one side of a multifaceted epidemic.

“It’s not enough to educate our youth if we have stores that will sell tobacco illegally to underage kids,” said Dr. Leana Wen, Commissioner of the Baltimore City Health Department. “We need stronger penalties to those who sell to youth, and we need everyone’s help to identify stores that are breaking the law. Together, Baltimore citizens can make a difference.”  Just last year, Dr. Wen announced a new method of reducing tobacco sales to youth. Witnesses of underage tobacco sales can now call 311 to report businesses that are illegally selling tobacco to children, and each case will be investigated in depth by the Health Department.

Dr. Wen has been a strong advocate for cracking down on these businesses. “Nine out of 10 smokers start before the age of 18 and thousands of these individuals will die every year from tobacco-related diseases,” said Dr. Wen. “Stores selling tobacco to our youth is not only a legal issue, but also one that will cost people their lives.” Since her appointment as Commissioner, Dr. Wen has advocated for the regulation of hookah establishments, a state-wide tobacco tax to be used for medical care, banning indoor smoking including e-cigarettes and hookah, buffer zones around schools, and increased enforcement funding and capacity.

Tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of heart disease and is a major contributor to heart attacks, stroke, chronic lung disease and cancer.

To learn more about Kick Butts Day, please visit http://www.kickbuttsday.org/

To learn more about Baltimore City Public Health Department’s efforts in fighting underage tobacco usage, please visit http://health.baltimorecity.gov/health-resources-topic/tobacco-smoking-cessation

The Maryland Tobacco Quitline is a FREE service for Marylanders 13 years and older and sponsored by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.They can help you quit any kind of tobacco use – cigarettes, cigars or smokeless. 

Call 1-800-QUITNOW or visit smokingstopshere.com.