Retailers should hide tobacco products to protect children

One in seven high school students in New York state are current cigarette smokers. If we do not work aggressively to further reduce youth smoking, 389,000 youth under age 18 will ultimately die prematurely from smoking related illnesses.

Tobacco products are highly addictive and cause the death of 25,000 New Yorkers every year. These deaths would be preventable if our youth never became addicted to cigarettes or other tobacco products.

Retail stores are the main channel of communication for tobacco companies to reach new and current customers. Studies have identified a clear link between retail tobacco marketing and youth smoking. I would like to encourage our retail stores to keep their tobacco products out of the view of youth. This would not infringe on the rights of current smokers, and it wouldn’t cost any money. It would, however, shelter some youth from exposure to tobacco products.

Children are more impressionable than adults. An adult non-smoker can shop in a retail store and never notice the tobacco ads or tobacco products. If you have shopped with a young child, you know that a child is more observant of the items around them, and often wants many of the items he or she sees in a store. Simply placing tobacco products where children do not see them will prevent some children from becoming cigarette smokers. Why wouldn’t we take this simple step to protect our youth?

Anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one to a smoking-related illness would never wish this to happen to another person. We all want our children to grow up to be healthy, happy adults. Please encourage your local retailer to place their tobacco products out of the view of children!

If you would like more information about quitting or about the ill effects of smoking, please contact Project Action at 841-7123.

Ann Brennan Rhodes
Johnstown

The writer is executive director of the Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery county Prevention Council.