Amador County – A recent survey conducted by Tobacco Reduction of Amador County reveals that 7 percent of local Amador County stores sold tobacco to underage teens. “Accompanied by undercover law enforcement, minors attempted to purchase tobacco products at all types of retail establishments, including convenience stores, gas stations, liquor stores, grocery stores and drugstores, to determine how easily minors can purchase cigarettes and chewing tobacco,” says a release from the Amador County Public Health Department. "Carelessness or complacency is not acceptable when it comes to the health of our youth," said Larry Fossen, Tobacco Reduction of Amador County Community Coalition chairman. "This highlights the importance of awareness and prevention efforts. Our local tobacco retailers need to ensure they are not selling any form of tobacco to youth under 18." Tobacco retailers have the responsibility to check identification, verify age and post state mandated age-of-sale warning signs. Another related law states that as of January 2005, the self-service display of tobacco products is against the law. This includes cigarettes, chewing tobacco, bidis, pipe tobacco, roll your own tobacco, and any other product containing tobacco. The self-service display of tobacco paraphernalia is also against the law. "This public health issue is extremely relevant to our community. Unfortunately, we see a higher smoking rate here in our county than compared to the rest of the state," stated Dr. Bob Hartmann, Amador County health officer. "Tobacco use causes future disease and seriously harms our kids while they are still young." In California, only 13 percent of the entire population currently smokes. While the rate reported in Amador County is nearly 19 percent. Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the U.S. Each year, cigarette smoking results in about 443,000 premature deaths. Most smokers become addicted to tobacco before they are legally old enough to buy cigarettes, and most adolescents who become regular smokers continue to smoke into adulthood. Because the likelihood of developing smoking-related cancers, such as lung cancer, increases with the duration of smoking, those who start at younger ages and continue to smoke are at highest risk for cancer and other diseases. "I find it extremely distressing that tobacco companies blatantly target new young consumers with their development of new products," commented Gretchen Carlson, Amador County Unified School District nurse. "The sad reality is that curiosity becomes addiction." The TRAC program and its educational projects are funded by Proposition 99 taxes through the California Department of Public Health. For more information on underage tobacco sales or cessation resources, contact the TRAC office at 223-6638. A TSPN TV Report This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Friday, 25 June 2010 06:46
Tobacco Survey Reveals Illegal Underage Sales Made Locally
Written by Tom-
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Amador County – A recent survey conducted by Tobacco Reduction of Amador County reveals that 7 percent of local Amador County stores sold tobacco to underage teens. “Accompanied by undercover law enforcement, minors attempted to purchase tobacco products at all types of retail establishments, including convenience stores, gas stations, liquor stores, grocery stores and drugstores, to determine how easily minors can purchase cigarettes and chewing tobacco,” says a release from the Amador County Public Health Department. "Carelessness or complacency is not acceptable when it comes to the health of our youth," said Larry Fossen, Tobacco Reduction of Amador County Community Coalition chairman. "This highlights the importance of awareness and prevention efforts. Our local tobacco retailers need to ensure they are not selling any form of tobacco to youth under 18." Tobacco retailers have the responsibility to check identification, verify age and post state mandated age-of-sale warning signs. Another related law states that as of January 2005, the self-service display of tobacco products is against the law. This includes cigarettes, chewing tobacco, bidis, pipe tobacco, roll your own tobacco, and any other product containing tobacco. The self-service display of tobacco paraphernalia is also against the law. "This public health issue is extremely relevant to our community. Unfortunately, we see a higher smoking rate here in our county than compared to the rest of the state," stated Dr. Bob Hartmann, Amador County health officer. "Tobacco use causes future disease and seriously harms our kids while they are still young." In California, only 13 percent of the entire population currently smokes. While the rate reported in Amador County is nearly 19 percent. Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the U.S. Each year, cigarette smoking results in about 443,000 premature deaths. Most smokers become addicted to tobacco before they are legally old enough to buy cigarettes, and most adolescents who become regular smokers continue to smoke into adulthood. Because the likelihood of developing smoking-related cancers, such as lung cancer, increases with the duration of smoking, those who start at younger ages and continue to smoke are at highest risk for cancer and other diseases. "I find it extremely distressing that tobacco companies blatantly target new young consumers with their development of new products," commented Gretchen Carlson, Amador County Unified School District nurse. "The sad reality is that curiosity becomes addiction." The TRAC program and its educational projects are funded by Proposition 99 taxes through the California Department of Public Health. For more information on underage tobacco sales or cessation resources, contact the TRAC office at 223-6638. A TSPN TV Report This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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