Students from Fall River and other South Coast communities participated in the state-wide activities to take action against Big Tobacco on March 21, 2012, the 17th annual Kick Butts Day. The Day was designed for thousands of young people in every state and around the world to speak up and seize control against Big Tobacco, the manufactures and purveyors of tobacco products that specifically target youth. Hundreds of young people went to Boston that day as part of The 84 group's effort to make legislators aware of the targeting of youth by tobacco companies. Cigarette smoking among high school students has also been declining since 1995, when it reached a peak of 35.7%  in 1995. It is now less than half of that at about 16%. In Fall River, however, the use of smokeless tobacco products is rising and, for the first time, exceeds the use of cigarettes. Tobacco companies spend $35 million a day to market their products, far more than states spend to discourage its use. Retail cigarette advertising and lower prices for single sale cigars and other flavored tobacco products increase the likelihood that youth will initiate smoking and move from experimentation to regular smoking. For more information, go to The84.org. (Photos courtesy of Maureen Brisson and Michael Aguiar) 
 

(Top row) Students from Fall River's group pose for photos with State Representative Paul Schmid and State Senator Michael Roderigues and then stand at the rostrum used by President John F. Kennedy to address the General Court in 1961 . (Middle row, right) Students, including ____________ and Mario DoRego stand in line with Tobacco Control Coordinator Marilyn Edge, as they wait to get into the State House lobby. (Bottom row) Students assemble on the steps of the State House during a rally to bring attention to the marketing of tobacco products to youth. 

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