2009 Kick Butts Day

The Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Mobile County, Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT), and Keep Mobile Beautiful will partner to “kick butts” at Langan Park this Wednesday, March 25, in recognition of national Kick Butts Day. Following a press conference at 9:30 a.m., SWAT members will take conduct a cigarette butt clean-up of the park lasting until noon.

In Alabama, about 10,600 kids under 18 will become new regular smokers this year. To help combat this, more than 150 students from Bryant, LeFlore and Murphy high schools and Phillips Preparatory School take part in SWAT activities, working to protect their peers from tobacco. SWAT members serve as peer educators in elementary and middle schools. They address health-related tobacco issues, advocacy issues, and tactics of the tobacco industry. Last year alone, SWAT members visited 52 schools where they made 398 presentations to nearly 10,000 students in grades 4 through 7.

Kick Butts Day was developed by the National Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and is sponsored by 100 major partners.

For more information, call 690-7508 or 690-8824.