DELAWARE STATE SENATE

152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 56

RECOGNIZING THE ADVOCACY EFFORTS OF THE YOUTH-LED KICK BUTTS GENERATION ORGANIZATION.

WHEREAS, the Kick Butts Generation is a powerful youth-led force that is leading the fight against the tobacco industry by educating thousands of youth and teens annually of the dangers of tobacco and nicotine products with 553 members throughout Delaware; and

WHEREAS, Kick Butts Generation was established in Delaware in 1999 and advocated for many successes such as the Clean Indoor Air Act (CIAA), higher taxes on tobacco products, and raising the age to purchase tobacco products to 21; and

WHEREAS, Kick Butts Generation recently held their Kick Butts Generation Youth Summit on tobacco at the University of Delaware with 87 youth from all over Delaware attending; and

WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of death and disability in the United States, resulting in more than 480,000 deaths annually including those caused by secondhand smoke; and

WHEREAS, smoking is known to cause cancer, perinatal conditions, and cardiovascular, metabolic, and respiratory disease; and

WHEREAS, over $289 billion in healthcare costs are due to smoking and smoking related diseases; and

WHEREAS, in the State of Delaware, 1,400 people die due to smoking-related illness each year; and

WHEREAS, in 2021, 13% of adults in the State of Delaware smoked cigarettes; and

WHEREAS, 1,200 Delaware youth, under the age of 18, try cigarettes for the first time each year and 17,000 youth now under the age of 18 will die prematurely from smoking; and

WHEREAS, the use of e-cigarettes among youth has increased drastically, with e-cigarettes becoming the most used tobacco product among U.S. middle and high school students; and

WHEREAS, in 2019, 36.5% of U.S. high school students reported that they currently use a tobacco product, and 27.5% reported using e-cigarettes; and

WHEREAS, most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s; and

WHEREAS, e-cigarettes may also contain other harmful substances such as lead, nickel, tin, and cancer-causing chemicals.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 152 ^nd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that we recognize the advocacy efforts of the youth-led Kick Butts Generation organization.

SYNOPSIS

This Senate Concurrent Resolution recognizes the advocacy efforts of the youth-led Kick Butts Generation organization.

Author: Senator Buckson