Darth Vader is bringing an important message right to Carter County kids this Thursday night.
“If you start smoking, you could end up talking like Darth Vader,” said Jilian Reece, Health Educator with the Carter County Health Department.
The good news is that kids can defeat the dark side by never picking up the habit of smoking, and Darth Vader, along with his Star Wars friends, will teach participants all about the dangers of smoking.
Beginning at 6 p.m. at the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library, children will enjoy games, pizza, books, crafts and activities that focus on defeating the dark side. Families will also have the opportunity to learn more about smoking cessation programs through the Health Department and how to get involved.
All ages are invited to this free event, which is made possible through funding from the Carter County Health Department Tobacco Settlement Grant.
The tobacco settlement began in 1998 through an agreement between states and the tobacco industry to reimburse states for some of the burden tobacco has on health. In 2013, Governor Bill Haslam and Dr. John Dreyzehner allocated funds for three target areas to educate and prevent tobacco use: pregnant smoker cessation, youth initiation prevention and second hand smoke prevention.
For more information about these programs or the upcoming event, call Reece at 423-543-2521.