Did you know that the simple act of walking to school or even to a friend's house could be dangerous to your child's health? Big tobacco has its eye on new cigarette-buying customers: our children. The Federal Trade Commission reports that each year, big tobacco spends $12.8 billion in the United States, more than $35 million a day, to market their deadly and addictive products. After all, they need to replace the 400,000 U.S. smokers who die each year with new replacement customers.
New York has done a good job shielding our children from big tobacco. While most states have seen a slowing of the decline of youth smoking, New York's rates have continued to decline steadily. Since 1997, smoking among New York high school students decreased 58 percent from 32.9 percent in 1997 to 13.8 percent in 2007.
However, according to Project Action Tobacco-Free Coalition, in New York, there is one licensed tobacco retailer for every 194 children under age 18. Do we really need all of these outlets to sell tobacco products? Tobacco-outlet density is significantly associated with youth smoking and illegal youth cigarette purchases. Studies show that reducing retail tobacco outlet density is likely to reduce rates of youth smoking and sales to minors.
Tobacco products should only be used and purchased by adults. We don't need tobacco being sold across the street from our schools or in the local corner store that our kids frequent. We need to take a stand to help protect the health and well-being of our youth and make that a priority.
The Gloversville-Johnstown Kiwanis Club has two mottos, "We Build" and "Serving the Children of the World." We feel it is most important to control the accessibility of tobacco in our community and wish to thank Project ACTION for its advocacy for our youth.
BONNIE S. PECK
President,
Gloversville-Johnstown Kiwanis Club
