Opinions / Editorials

Champaign's youth smoking ordinance achieves nothing

The new Champaign ordinance aimed at reducing smoking among teenagers is virtually unenforceable and will do nothing to instill respect for laws and authority.

Champaign City Council members voted last week to criminalize the possession of tobacco by minors. From now on, under city ordinance, anyone under 18 who is found in possession of tobacco products can be fined $145.

There is no doubt that tobacco use is a significant national health problem, that its use should be discouraged (among people of all ages) and that government has an appropriate role in fighting tobacco use. But Champaign officials and Champaign residents should be under no illusion that this ordinance — no matter how costly the penalty — will do much to decrease smoking among teenagers. On the contrary, it's more likely to further institutionalize disrespect for the law.

This law is virtually unenforceable. Police have dozens of more pressing issues to attend to. Teen-agers have plenty of places to smoke where they won't be detected. And it doesn't require radar for a youngster to simply drop a cigarette and stamp it out anytime a police cruiser or an officer on foot is sighted.

And in those rare instances when the ordinance is enforced, it will be done selectively and, we dare say, can even be used to harass youths who may look like troublemakers or who have a history of causing trouble.

None of this is going to build respect for law and authority among future citizens.

The other argument cited by the eight council members who voted for the ordinance was that it would help reduce litter. If that's the case, we also hope to see police officers ticketing adults for tossing their cigarette butts out automobile windows or emptying their car's ashtray at a stoplight.

Although some on the council probably were well-intentioned, skeptics will view the vote as a feeble, rushed attempt to stem constituent demands for an all-out smoking band in public places. The council didn't even hold a study session, a routine occurrence, on the youth smoking issue. And it didn't earmark proceeds form any smoking fines to anti-smoking programs. The council action may have been little more than, pardon the pun, a smoke screen.