Stations, the following is a news announcement. Suggested lead in 3, 2, 1…
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There were 287 billion cigarettes sold last fiscal year in the U.S. and an alarming number of cigarettes butts end up on America’s roadways, beaches and parks. Cigarette butts are now the number one most-littered item in the country.
Dr. Cheryl Healton, president and CEO of Legacy, says in observance of Earth Day, they are raising awareness about the negative environmental impact of cigarette filters and discarded butts.
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CIGARETTE MANUFACTURERS ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SAFE CIGARETTE AND HAVE LONG KNOWN THAT FILTERS DON’T REDUCE THE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF SMOKING AND ARE A MAJOR SOURCE OF LITTER. CIGARETTE BUTTS AREN’T BIODEGRADABLE AND CONTAIN TOXIC, CARCINOGENIC CHEMICALS AND HEAVY METALS, WHICH CAN LEACH INTO SOIL AND WATERWAYS, CAN KILL MARINE LIFE AND ARE BURDENING LOCAL COMMUNITIES WITH EXPENSIVE CLEAN-UP EFFORTS.
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Legacy is challenging tobacco control and environmental change leaders to join forces and find solutions for eliminating cigarette pollution. For more information about this toxic trash, visit www.legacyforhealth.org/environment.