Kids take the anti-smoking pledge

Killingworth, Conn. (WTNH) -- Kids across the state took the pledge to not smoke on Wednesday, the 17th annual National Kick-Butts Day.

"I pledge to never smoke," the middle schoolers at Haddam-Killingworth cheered.

"My grandmother died of cancer because she smoked, and that made me really upset," said fifth grader Jamison O'Dell.

Saddened by such loss, members of "SADD," Students Against Destructive Decisions, are taking up the cause.

"I have a lot people in my family that who did smoke and they died, and I just don't think it's right for the world to do that because it can really hurt you," said fifth grader Kristen Dansereau.

Visual aids, like showing the amount of tar that smoking can fill your lungs with, and a long list of poisons helped drive the point home.

While the high school smoking rate has been cut nearly in half since the mid 90s, health officials from the surgeon general on down say youth tobacco use remains a pediatric epidemic.

"It's important to start young, to get the message out there as early as possible, so the kids know not to do it in the future, and that they have the skills and the prevention messages to carry them forward," said Kathryn Glendon from Youth & Family Services.

So many youngsters vowed Wednesday to avoid tobacco, a sign of hope for the future.

"I think that the world should stop, no matter what," one said.