Kicks Butts Day and Arkansas Tobacco Free Kids Day - April 18th, 2011
Young people from the Arkansas Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI) joined thousands of kids across the country on March 23 to take part in Kick Butts Day, a nationwide initiative that makes kids leaders in the effort to stop youth tobacco use. As part of the Kick Butts Day celebration, YLI hosted the fourth Arkansas Tobacco Free Kids Day with a rally and press conference on the steps of the capitol.
Approximately 150 youth spoke out against big tobacco, made recommendations to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke, showed their support of tobacco prevention programs across the state, and rallied other youth to become and remain tobacco free.
Throughout the year, young advocates take part in a variety of activities to protect kids from tobacco, including working with elected officials to develop policies that reduce youth tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke, and educating their peers about tobacco companies’ deceptive marketing practices. A small group of YLI members worked hard leading up to the rally at a training and leadership opportunity called “YES on the Hill.” Youth had a chance to learn about the legislative process, testify in a committee meeting about the importance of protecting children from secondhand smoke and come up with their top four recommendations for future bills:
- No smoking during work hours at a childcare facility
- No possession of tobacco products during work hours (mandate all workplace grounds be tobacco-free)
- No smoking if you are on Medicaid (to continue/or to get benefits you need to be enrolled in a smoking cessation program)
- No smoking at school-sponsored events
Morgan, a YLI member from Imboden, AR summed up the day. “The in-your-face-type of projects seems to be an effective way to get people to pay attention,” she said. “Teens my age have the ability and voice to stand up and speak out; we just need someone to listen to us.”
