Youth groups from across Wales will be spending Wednesday 19th March creating events and activities as part of an international day of activism to speak out against the tobacco industry as part of Kick Butts Day.
Kick Butts Day aims to encourage young people to have their say against the tobacco industry by organising activities focussing on issues around smoking and tobacco use. Events on the day will include a school taking part in four workshops around smoking (Merthyr) and producing films about the effects of smoking (Butetown).
14,500 11 to 15 year-olds try smoking every year in Wales alone – that’s a classroom full every single day and that is why The Filter, ASH Wales’ youth project, is supporting groups from every corner of Wales to take part in this day of activism.
Emily Cole has been co-ordinating Kick Butts Day across Wales for The Filter project.
“Kick Butts Day is a real chance for young people to take control and speak out against the tobacco industry. Teenagers are ‘easy’ prey for the tobacco industry which needs to replace their dying customers, but Kick Butts Day encourages/empowers young people to say ‘No, we won’t be your next victims.’”
“It’s great to see so many young people wanting to get involved and buck the idea that they don’t care about their futures. Smoking-related diseases kill 5,450 people each year in Wales alone and if our younger generations don’t do something about it, like with Kick Butts Day, that number will can only rise.”
By ASH Wales