VIDEO: Teen “Zombie Walk” at RI State House Raises Awareness About Dangers of Smoking
Friday, May 03, 2019
Dozens of Rhode Island teenagers held a Kick Butts Day Zombie Walk at the Rhode Island State House on Thursday Dressed as zombies -- representing smokers risen from the dead -- to warn the living about the dangers of tobacco and e-cigarette use.
GoLocal LIVE spoke with Gustavo Torrez with the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids about the walk -- and dangers of smoking. SEE VIDEO BELOW
The event culminated with a rally where the teens called on leaders to resist tobacco and vaping industry practices that target youth, to raise the minimum legal age for all tobacco product sales to 21, and to support communities working to prevent tobacco-related disease and deaths. The teens were joined by Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH).
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Youth Smoking in RI
In Rhode Island, 20% of high school teens reported current use of e-cigarettes in 2017 according to the State's Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) facilitated by the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH).
MORE BELOW VIDEO
"We're standing up to the vaping and tobacco industry to say 'raise the age or we'll rage!' to stop selling and pushing your unsafe e-cigarettes and vaping devices to kids and teens," said Thyandra Martinez, a senior who attends West Warwick High School. "Big Tobacco is lining up teens as 'new customers' with candy-flavored e-cigarettes and vaping, even though nicotine can ruin our brains, our education, and our lives. Don't be fooled, underage teens! Vape is not the answer, smoking causes cancer!"
The human brain continues forming important connections until roughly 26 years of age. Nicotine exposure for kids, teens, and young adults can "prime" the brain for addictions to tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, stunt brain growth, and cause problems with learning, memory, mood, impulse control, and decision-making, according to the U.S. Surgeon General. The FDA recently began to investigate links between e-cigarette use and seizures after receiving reports involving primarily teens and young adults.
Despite state and federal laws that prohibit sales to people younger than 18 years of age, tobacco addiction is primarily established during adolescence, followed by early adulthood. Ninety percent of adult smokers first light up as a kid or teen, and less than 1% begin smoking after age 26.
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