Commentary / Letters to the Editor

Council tobacco ordinance shameful

Shame on the Champaign City Council for passing an ordinance that essentially blames the victim by fining youths who possess tobacco products.

If the city council were truly concerned with the health of our youth, it would have passed an ordinance prohibiting youth access to tobacco products or a comprehensive clean indoor air ordinance to protect everyone from the dangers of secondhand smoke. Both alternatives have been scientifically proven to reduce youth smoking; fining youths for possession has not.

Instead of protecting the health of our children, the council opted to respond to the ploys of the tobacco companies, which puts the burden on the user. They will continue to smoke and take the risk.

To add insult to injury, fines collected from this new ordinance will go to the city's general fund rather than to support youth smoking prevention programs, as C-U Smokefree Alliance's Scott Hays so wisely suggested.

Putting the burden on the vendors who sell tobacco products by licensing the vendors and conducting regular compliance checks, increasing cigarette taxes, and implementing comprehensive clean indoor air ordinances are three scientifically proven methods to reduce youth smoking.

The city council took a step in the wrong direction. It should listen to the advice offered by health care experts in their own community if they care about the health of their citizens — regardless of age.

DEBRA KARCH
American Cancer Society
Champaign Region

MARK E. PEYSAKHOVICH
American Heart Association
Chicago

KATHY DREA
American Lung Association
of Illinois
Chicago