Today is Take Down Tobacco, a fresh take on Kick Butts Day, is the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids’ signature platform for empowering people to stand up and speak out against the tobacco industry. Did you know tobacco is the world’s leading cause of preventable death? Did you know that cigarette butts are also the world’s #1 leading cause of litter?
According to the Take Down Tobacco website – there are many staggering statistics related to tobacco use, some of which include:
- Tobacco has killed 100 million people in the 20th century and it will claim the lives of 1 billion people by the 21st century if trends hold steady.
- This means 1 in every 10 adults will die from a health-related issue caused by tobacco.
- Secondhand smoke alone kills 600,000 innocent people worldwide each year which includes 165,000 children.
- There are over 7,000 chemicals in cigarettes, of which, 69 are cancer-causing toxins.
Over the past quarter-century, the U.S. has made remarkable progress in doing just what the Kick Butts Day name describes: kicking butts. Please encourage your friends, colleagues and loved ones about the dangers of using tobacco and for those already using tobacco, encourage them to STOP and Kick the Butts for good. Those who use tobacco products may not realize they are shortening their lifespan significantly and maybe shortening the lifespan of their family and loved ones too.
For more information about tobacco use and prevention, visit Take Down Tobacco. Spread awareness about National Kick Butts Day through social media too! Click here for various resources.
Graphic courtesy of Take Down Tobacco