1Designating March 19, 2014, as "Kick Butts Day" in Pennsylvania.

2WHEREAS, Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable
3death in the United States, imposing a terrible toll in terms of
4health, lives and dollars on families, businesses and
5government; and

6WHEREAS, Tobacco kills more than 400,000 people annually,
7more than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, illegal drugs, murders
8and suicides combined; and

9WHEREAS, Tobacco costs the United States more than $96
10billion in health care expenditures and $97 billion in lost
11productivity each year; and

12WHEREAS, While the United States has made major progress
13against tobacco use, nearly one in five Americans still smokes;
14and

1WHEREAS, Each day roughly 3,000 youth under 18 years of age
2try smoking for the first time and more than 700 youth become
3new regular, daily smokers; and

4WHEREAS, One in three of these youth will die prematurely
5because of tobacco use; and

6WHEREAS, Eight hundred million packs of cigarettes are
7consumed by children each year; and

8WHEREAS, Approximately 480,000 people die each year from
9their own cigarette smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke; and

10WHEREAS, Sixteen million people in the United States
11currently suffer from smoking-caused illness; and

12WHEREAS, The total annual public and private health care
13expenditures caused by smoking is at least $132.5 billion; and

14WHEREAS, Annual tobacco industry spending on marketing its
15products nationwide is $8.8 billion or $24 million each day,
16with much of the marketing aimed at children; and

17WHEREAS, It is imperative that visible, unified tobacco
18cessation and prevention education efforts by community members
19be launched to encourage all tobacco users to become tobacco-
20free; and

21WHEREAS, Businesses, government, law enforcement, schools,
22faith-based institutions, service organizations, youth,
23physicians, senior citizens, military, sports teams and
24individuals from all other walks of life will demonstrate their
25commitment to tobacco-free, healthy lifestyles by participating
26in Kick Butts Day; therefore be it

27RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate March
2819, 2014, as "Kick Butts Day" in Pennsylvania, and encourage
29citizens of all ages to participate in tobacco cessation and
30prevention education activities to make a visible show of

1support for our strong commitment to a tobacco-free community,
2encouraging all youth and adults to pledge to be tobacco-free.