Girl Scouts Learn the Real Deal on Tobacco

March 28, 2003

By Torri Eubanks, staff writer

With smoking-related deaths in America at roughly 400,000 a year, Girl Scouts across the country are doing what they can to help curb this growing epidemic. Now, teaming up with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Girl Scouts of the USA is promoting Kick Butts Day on April 2nd.

Did you know that:

• On average people start smoking at age 13.
  
• More than 2,000 kids each day become regular smokers.



• For over 80 years, smoking advertisements targeted women and girls with brand names like "Slims"
or slogans like "You've come a long way, baby."


• According to the U.S. Surgeon General lung cancer has been the leading cancer killer among women since 1987.

Girl Scouts have been learning facts like these to educate themselves and their communities about the dangers of tobacco.

Girl Scouts Help Their Communities Kick the Habit

Kick Butts Day is a time for young people to take a stand against smoking by sending powerful messages to elected officials. Last year, Girl Scouts joined thousands of other kids to participate in 1,500 events designed to help extinguish the dangers of nicotine for kids.

This year, Girl Scout troops are involved in local sports events like anti-tobacco track meets and "Kids Kicking Their Way to Health" soccer meets. And they're investigating the truth about cigarettes—what the ingredients are and how they affect their health. In New Mexico, Girl Scouts will be among many anti-smoking crusaders to hear from Dr. Jeffrey Wigand, a tobacco industry executive made famous as "The Insider" by news show 60 Minutes. New Mexico's Tobacco and Prevention and Control program has invited Dr. Wigand to share his story and speak out about tobacco use among youth.

On the last Kick Butts Day, Girl Scouts in Springfield, Illinois met with their state legislators to discuss smoking issues. In Miami, Florida, 8- to 11-year-olds from Troop #448 asked the City Commission to ban smoking within 100 feet of public buildings, grocery stores, and movie theaters. In the end, they helped create a 25-foot ban. In Topeka, Kansas, elementary-school-age Girl Scouts performed an anti-smoking skit for their classmates. The girls, who researched their anti-smoking campaign for five weeks, were shocked to learn how many chemicals were actually in cigarettes

Girl Scouts Get In the Zone

The Girl Scout organization encourages girls to stand up for their health and arm themselves with the real facts on tobacco. Offerings include In the Zone: Living Drug Free. This project, offered in partnership with the Office of National Drug Control Policy, educates girls and teens who want to live drug-free about the realities of tobacco and other addictive drugs. In the Zone books offer younger girls the "real deal" on tobacco. They let tweens and teens know it isn't cool to smoke or take drugs and suggest positive alternatives.

Across the country, Girl Scouts have taken their anti-smoking agenda to their homes, their schools, and even their local governments. For more information about what Girl Scouts are doing for Kick Butts Day or the In the Zone project in the your area, contact your local Girl Scout council.