Students nationwide will be “Kicking Butts” tomorrow (Wednesday), and seventh graders at Coon Rapids-Bayard schools are joining in Kick Butts Day by hosting their own event to encourage others to be cigarette and tobacco free. Beginning at noon, the students will be sharing their knowledge about the harmful chemicals and additives in tobacco products with other youths and competing to take the best “grossed out” face photo when hearing about the damage they may cause. In Iowa, 5,100 people die every year to tobacco use and costs $1.28 billion in health care bills. Currently 18.1 percent of Iowa’s high school students smoke.
