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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 03-17-2009 - 4e ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 17, 2009 Action Agenda Item No. -e, SUBJECT: Proclamation Recognizing Kick Butts Day DEPARTMENT: Orange County Health Dept. PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Kick Butts Day Proclamation Rosemary Summers, 245-2412 PURPOSE: To consider a proclamation recognizing March 25, 2009 as Orange County Kick Butts Day. BACKGROUND: Tobacco use contributes to many health consequences including heart disease and various types of cancer. Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in the US and, in 2006, the Surgeon General concluded that no amount of exposure to second hand smoke is safe. Eighty percent of adult smokers started smoking before the age of 18. Preventing youth from starting tobacco use as teens makes them less likely to become life long smokers. In 2003 Orange County Health Department received funding from the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund (HWTF) for the Tobacco Reality Unfiltered (TRU) Program to prevent teens from using tobacco and provide support for those who want to quit. Since that time tobacco use among middle school and high school students has decreased in Orange County. The TRU program continues to serve as an outstanding advocate concerning the dangers of tobacco use through peer education, merchant education, media campaigns, and community service. The Health Department recently received a grant award from HWTF for 3 more years of funding for teen tobacco prevention. Kick Butts Day, founded by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, is a national day of activism that empowers youth to speak out and take action against tobacco use. Orange County TRU annually organizes Kick Butts Day events at local high schools to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use among youth. The Orange County Health Department recommends March 25, 2009 be recognized as Orange County Kick Butts Day. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board approve the attached proclamation recognizing March 25, 2009 as Orange County Kick Butts Day. 2 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROCLAMATION TO RECOGNIZE March 25, 2009 AS ORANGE COUNTY KICK BUTTS DAY WHEREAS, Kick Butts Day is an annual national initiative sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids that makes students leaders in the fight against tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke; and WHEREAS, the 2007 North Carolina Youth Tobacco Survey revealed that 27% of NC high school students and 9% of NC middle school students currently use some form of tobacco; and WHEREAS, the Tobacco Reality Unfiltered (TRU)Program of Orange County, funded by the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund, has been working with youth since 2003 to prevent tobacco use and develop positive decision-making skills among middle school and high school students in Orange County; and WHEREAS, the Healthy Carolinians of Orange County Partnership's 2007 Community Health Assessment revealed lower percentages of smoking among Orange County youth since 2003 indicating positive contributions from the Orange County Tobacco Reality Unfiltered program; and WHEREAS, the Orange County Schools Smart Track Survey Report revealed that an average of 15% of 10th graders smoked in the past 30 days and the Chapel Hill- Carrboro City Schools Youth Risk Behavior Survey revealed that 5.7% of middle school students and 12.2% of high school students smoked in the past 30 days, showing that the need remains to educate students about being tobacco-free; and WHEREAS, the Orange County TRU program will continue to use social marketing, peer education, and merchant education to educate youth and their parents or caregivers, and the community about the dangers of tobacco use; and WHEREAS, the Orange County Health Department recommends that proclaiming March 25 as Kick Butts Day will increase community awareness of the need for preventing tobacco use and for continuing public health education programs for youth; NOW, THEREFORE, be it recognized that the Orange County Board of Commissioners do hereby proclaim March 25, 2009 as Orange County Kick Butts Day. This is the 17th day of March 2009. Valerie P. Foushee, Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners 2 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROCLAMATION TO RECOGNIZE March 25, 2009 AS ORANGE COUNTY KICK BUTTS DAY WHEREAS, Kick Butts Day is an annual national initiative sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids that makes students leaders in the fight against tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke; and WHEREAS, the 2007 North Carolina Youth Tobacco Survey revealed that 27% of NC high school students and 9% of NC middle school students currently use some form of tobacco; and WHEREAS, the Tobacco Reality Unfiltered (TRU)Program of Orange County, funded by the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund, has been working with youth since 2003 to prevent tobacco use and develop positive decision-making skills among middle school and high school students in Orange County; and WHEREAS, the Healthy Carolinians of Orange County Partnership's 2007 Community Health Assessment revealed lower percentages of smoking among Orange County youth since 2003 indicating positive contributions from the Orange County Tobacco Reality Unfiltered program; and WHEREAS, the Orange County Schools Smart Track Survey Report revealed that an average of 15% of 10th graders smoked in the past 30 days and the Chapel Hill- Carrboro City Schools Youth Risk Behavior Survey revealed that 5.7% of middle school students and 12.2% of high school students smoked in the past 30 days, showing that the need remains to educate students about being tobacco-free; and WHEREAS, the Orange County TRU program will continue to use social marketing, peer education, and merchant education to educate youth and their parents or caregivers, and the community about the dangers of tobacco use; and WHEREAS, the Orange County Health Department recommends that proclaiming March 25 as Kick Butts Day will increase community awareness of the need for preventing tobacco use and for continuing public health education programs for youth; NOW, THEREFORE, be it recognized that the Orange County Board of Commissioners do hereby proclaim March 25, 2009 as Orange County Kick Butts Day. This is the 17th day of March 2009. Valerie P. Foushee, Chair Orange County Board of Commissioners