DeKalb Youth Promote Smoke-Free Air at the Mall at Stonecrest
Youth tobacco prevention teams share their talents at a live V-103 FM remote

DeKalb County high school and middle school tobacco use prevention teams will participate in the live V-103 FM remote broadcast "Let's Clear the Air in DeKalb: We can all live without secondhand smoke" on Saturday, October 26, from 1 pm to3 p.m. on the Plaza at the Mall at Stonecrest. The event's purpose is educating the public on the benefits of smoke-free public places and the dangers of secondhand smoke. The youth will be joined by DeKalb County Commissioners Burrell Ellis (District 4), Hank Johnson (District 5) and members of the DeKalb Prevention Alliance for Tobacco Control and Health (PATCH).

"I want to breathe fresh, clean air wherever I go, air that's free from carbon monoxide, rat poison, lighter fluid and the other 600 poisons found in secondhand smoke," said Scott Harris, Southwest DeKalb senior and Brothers of Leadership and Distinction member. "Secondhand smoke ruins the taste of my food when I'm out to eat and it harms the health of people who work in restaurants. "

Harris will take the stage at the Mall at Stonecrest along with V-103 DJ Toss Swaid. A panel discussion, puppet show, song performances and cheers will round out the day along with information booths, blood pressure screenings and a sign-up table for getting involved with the PATCH smoke-free air campaign.

"Secondhand smoke endangers the health of DeKalb workers as well as the public and it has no place in a healthy DeKalb County," said Commissioner Ellis.

"I stand by these youth in their effort to get the word out to the community that smoke-free air is desired by the public and needed in our restaurants, work sites and public places."

According to the National Cancer Institute, secondhand smoke exposure causes lung cancer, heart disease, asthma and upper respiratory problems in adults, as well as contributing to ear infections, coughs and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in infants and children. For non-smoking employees, working in a smoke-filled room for an eight-hour shift is the same as smoking two or three packs of cigarettes.

"Education is the key," said Commissioner Johnson. "Reaching people early, especially our youth, with life-saving, tobacco-prevention messages and programs will help save lives."

The V-103 FM live remote event is a project of the DeKalb County Board of Health's exemplar grant from the Georgia Tobacco Use Prevention Section to conduct a comprehensive tobacco use prevention program. A total of $120,000 was awarded to 20 community groups in the most recent Tobacco Action Grant funding cycle for grassroots initiatives on youth tobacco use prevention and promoting quitting the use of tobacco products. Almost $40,000 of these funds was awarded for secondhand smoke projects.

For more information on DeKalb County Board of Health secondhand smoke efforts, contact Keisha Shropshire, Tobacco Unit secondhand smoke specialist, at 404-294-3750 or klshropshire@gdph.state.ga.us.

###