| Six Calhoun students joined other kids yesterday going to the State
Youth
Tobacco Free Conference in Charleston. A bus trip originating in
Morgantown stopped
at Calhoun High School yesterday to transport the local group to the
three-day
conference. The students are from SCAT groups (Student Coalition
Against Tobacco).
Local sponsor Carlene Frederick is also attending the conference.
"The youth will voice their opinions about state laws governing taxes
on tobacco
products and the effects of tobacco usage," said Andrew Whipkey, local
SCAT
President. During Monday's march to the capitol the teens will carry
84 body bags to
represent the number of people who die each week in West Virginia from
tobacco-related illnesses.
 SCAT members head to
Charleston (L to R) Sarah Butler, Andrew Whipkey, Matt Richards, Holly
Burch, not pictured are Suzanne Lynch, Jake Nelson and Carlene
Frederick
Whipkey said his role regarding tobacco is to keep kids from starting.
"Every year
8,800 new kids become daily smokers. If that current trend continues,
more than
38,000 of those kids will become sick and die early from nicotine
addiction."
Tobacco is the only product that when used as intended kills the user,
he said.
"Cigarettes kill more Americans than alcohol, AIDS, murders, suicides,
car accidents,
heroin and fires combined."
Also attending the conference, Sarah Butler, Matt Richards, Holly
Burch, Suzanne
Lynch and Jake Nelson. |
