Franklin Elementary students kick butts

Franklin — The students at Franklin Borough Elementary participated in Kick Butts Day on March 28, an annual event where people around the world speak up, stand up and seize control in the fight against Big Tobacco. Students learned that tobacco use kills more than 400,000 Americans each year. Each day, about 4,000 kids under the age of 18 try smoking for the first time. Smoking limits the amount of oxygen in the blood, reducing stamina for sports and other physical activities. During lunch periods, pupils were encouraged to write on a graffiti wall in the cafeteria about how they felt about smoking, its devastating effects and Big Tobacco Companies. Students voiced their anger to Big Tobacco, stating that they are getting rich and people are dying. Some 1,200 people die each day from a smoking-related illness.