Red Ribbon Week, one of the most effective campaigns for preventing tobacco use among youth, will be October 23–31.
This year’s Red Ribbon Week theme is, “Respect Yourself. Be Drug Free.”
The week is an opportunity for youth and communities to unite and take a visible stand against drugs.
Every year local elementary, middle and high school students participate in various events emphasizing a healthy lifestyle that is free of drugs and tobacco. Mississippi Tobacco-Free Coalition directors work to educate all students on the harmful effects of tobacco, dangers of exposure to secondhand smoke, and the benefits of smoke-free air.
“All too often, people forget that tobacco is a drug. Far too many Mississippians are exposed to tobacco and secondhand smoke every day,” said Sue Mashburne, director of the Tobacco-Free Coalition of Grenada, Yalobusha, and Calhoun Counties. “Young children are especially vulnerable to secondhand smoke because their bodies are developing so quickly. Children also take in more secondhand smoke because they breathe more rapidly than adults and often cannot remove themselves from areas where secondhand smoke is present.”
According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, every day 700 kids who have already experimented with cigarettes become new regular, daily smokers. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug, and adolescents, who are still going through critical periods of growth and development, are particularly vulnerable to its effects.
“During Red Ribbon Week, we teach all children to be drug-free and tobacco-free. We want to encourage all students to refrain from using tobacco,” says Dr. Evelyn Walker, Director of the Mississippi State Department of Health’s (MSDH) Office of Health Promotion & Health Equity. “Tobacco is linked to several different types of cancer, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States.”
For more information on what your community is doing to recognize Red Ribbon Week, contact your local Mississippi Tobacco Free Coalition Project Director at 662-226-2589 or email smashburne@grenadak12.com. Find how to help make your community smoke-free by visiting www.TobaccoFreeMS.org.