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There's no ifs, ands or butts about smoking
Posted: 03.21.2012 at 5:01 PM
Tess Hedrick

Tess Hedrick is a Multimedia Journalist for KTVO.

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"Kick Butts Day"

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KEOSAUQUA, IOWA -- How did you celebrate “Kick Butts” day? For a group of Van Buren High School students, they celebrated by picking up cigarette butts from the Keosauqua City Park.

“Kick Butts” is a day of awareness about the dangers of smoking. With a name like “Kick Butts,” it’s surely to catch your attention.

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I think they'll hopefully notice the fact that we have pieces of what’s in the cigarette and to just see all the dangerous chemicals that are in the cigarette. They're inhaling all of those toxic chemicals,” says Lydia Heald, a Van Buren High School student.

The students set up a window display inside the Community First Bank on Wednesday to shed light on the dangers of smoking.

Among the items on display were two gallon-size bags of cigarette butts that had been collected at the city park.

"It's a park. Kids go there. (There’s) second-hand smoke also, if it's around. It's just dangerous,” says Cassie Johnson, also a Van Buren High School student.

New play equipment has been a topic of discussion for Keosauqua Park, but the students would like there to be a smoking ban implemented before that happens.

Those that walked by the window display were shocked at how many cigarette butts had been littered throughout the park.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), tobacco smoke alone contains more than 7,000 chemical compounds making second-hand smoke a leading killer. The students want to make smokers aware that they are potentially putting others in danger, as well as themselves.

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