TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) -- Wednesday was national Kick Butts Day. It's a national campaign to keep kids from smoking, and help them fight against Big Tobacco.
Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the U.S., and many consider cigarettes to be a gateway to using harder drugs.
According to kickbuttsday.org, 1.6 million U.S. high school students are current smokers.
"In terms of young people smoking, kicking the habit keeps them from having lung disease later in life," said Antwan Brooks, Capital Regional Medical Center’s Director of Respiratory and Neurodiagnostics. "So it's very important for young people to not start smoking and, if they are, to get into a smoking cessation program."
Students at Florida A&M University will observe Kick Butts Day Thursday on the Quad, and the Somerset Student Government SWAT Club will host a field day in Monticello on Friday.
