Colorado Students Partake In Kick Butts Day

DENVER (CBS4) - Young people in Colorado are joining peers across the country to say "no" to big tobacco.

As part of the annual Kick Butts Day, they're launching a social media campaign called "not a replacement." It's in response to memos within the tobacco industry that suggest kids as replacements for the half a million smokers who die every year.

In Colorado alone, tobacco companies spend $123 million on marketing annually. Of high school students in Colorado, 11% smoke cigarettes, with 4400 more picking up the habit each year.

Colorado students are encouraged to take selfies on Wednesday and post them on social media with the hashtag #NotAReplacement.

Further details can be found on the website of Kick Butts Day.