World No Tobacco Day Observed
June 20, 2003
World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) was observed May 31 in many unique and interesting ways around the world. This is the only global event calling attention to tobacco use and its impact on public health and tobacco-dependence. Locally the Kiowa County Tobacco Education and Prevention Program (KCTEPP) sponsored a Cigarette Butt Collection Contest.
Recently area youth donning surgical gloves and plastic baggies, hit the streets, alleys, and around businesses, collecting as many cigarette butts as possible. After a 1-1/2-hour collection period, butts were counted. The collection yielded 2,285 cigarette butts, with the majority of these obtained from Maine Street, the hospital, and the courthouse.
After the counting was completed, participants received a "Cost of Smoking Slideguide". (This calculator helps determine the amount of money spent on cigarettes based on the number of packs used and the amount of time smoking.) Therefore, using the number of cigarettes collected (2285 cigarettes or 114.25 packs), and an average cost of a pack of cigarettes ($3.50), the youth calculated how much "money" they had found ($399.88)
The overall winners were Jacob Kraft, Tyler McCracken, and Shaun Kraft. All participants received ice cream certificates to Just Betty’s, and various anti-tobacco items.
If you are a tobacco user interested in quitting, the KCTEPP has quit kits available at the Nursing Service, Kiowa Healthmart, or Eads and Wiley Medical clinics. If you want personal one-on-one free support call, 1-800-639-QUIT (quitline) or log on to www.coquitnet.com (quitnet). Colorado’s Quitline and Quitnet also offers cessation support smokeless tobacco users - smokeless tobacco is not healthy alternative to smoking cessation.