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ORANGE COUNTY. <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: March 18, 2008 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 3 - ~ <br />SUBJECT: Proclamation Recognizing Orange County Kick Butts Day <br />DEPARTMENT: Health PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Kick Butts Day Proclamation Rosemary Summers, 245-2411 <br />PURPOSE: To consider approving a proclamation recognizing the day of April 2, 2008 as <br />Orange County Kick Butts Day. <br />BACKGROUND: Tobacco use contributes to many health consequences including heart <br />disease and various types of cancer. Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death <br />in the US, and in 2006, the Surgeon General concluded that no amount of exposure to second <br />hand smoke is safe. Eighty percent of adult smokers started smoking before the age of 18. <br />Preventing youth from starting tobacco use as teens makes them less likely to become life long <br />smokers. In 2003, the Orange County Health Department received funding for the Tobacco <br />Reality Unfiltered (TRU) Program to prevent teens from using tobacco and provide support for <br />those who want to quit. Since that time, tobacco use among middle school and high school <br />students has decreased in Orange County. The T,RU program continues to. serve :as an <br />outstanding advocate concerning the dangers of tobacco use through peer education, merchant <br />education, media campaigns, and community service. <br />Kick Butts Day, founded by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, is a national day of activism <br />that empowers youth to speak up and take action against tobacco use. TRU of Orange County <br />annually organizes Kick Butts Day events at local high schools to raise awareness about the <br />harmful effects of tobacco use among youth. The Orange County Health Department proposes <br />that Apri12, 2008 should be recognized as Orange County Kick Butts Day. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: None <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the proclamation <br />recognizing April 2, 2008 as Orange County Kick Butts Day and authorize the Chair to sign. <br />