Proclaim Kick Butts Day

March 18, 2020, as Kick Butts Day in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize official days that are set aside to increase awareness of serious issues that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, it is the sense of this Legislative Body to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 18, 2020, as Kick Butts Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the Annual National Kick Butts Day, sponsored by Tobacco-Free Kids; and WHEREAS, According to the New York State Department of Health, every year smoking kills approximately 25,500 people in New York; secondhand smoke kills about 2,500 New Yorkers and an estimated 570,000 New Yorkers are afflicted with serious disease caused by smoking; furthermore, it is projected 389,000 young people, 0-17, from New York State will die from smoking; and WHEREAS, Organized by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Kick Butts Day is a national day of activism that empowers youth to speak up and take action against Big Tobacco at more than 1,000 events to be held from coast to coast; the main focus of this day is on youth and tobacco use, prevention, tobacco cessation, and reducing exposure to second hand smoke; and WHEREAS, On Kick Butts Day, teachers, youth leaders and health advocates organize events to raise awareness of the problem of tobacco use in their state or community; and WHEREAS, The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is a leading force in the fight to reduce tobacco use and its deadly toll in the United States and around the world; the dedicated members of this vital non-profit organization envision a future free of the death and disease caused by tobacco; and WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater public awareness of this serious health issue, and more must be done to increase activity at the local, State and national levels to reduce the deadly toll of smoking and protect nonsmokers from the clearly-established dangers of secondhand tobacco smoke; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 18, 2020, as Kick Butts Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with National Kick Butts Day, sponsored by Tobacco-Free Kids; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York.