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July 9, 2002
Contact:
Andrew Weisser, (818) 703-6444
aweisser@earthlink.net
or your local American Lung Association
at (800) LUNG-USA. www.californialung.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
American Lung Association Launches Statewide Ad Campaign to
Promote Local Licensing of Tobacco Retailers
Tobacco Company Tactics to Stall Licensing Efforts Described
as ‘Fox Guarding Hen House’
(July 9, 2002 — Oakland, CA) The American
Lung Association of California is launching a statewide advertising
campaign today stressing the need for effective local licensing
of tobacco retailers in an effort to reduce illegal tobacco sales
to children. To view the ad, visit http://www.californialung.org/spotlight/henhouse_ad.html.
"Retailers are still selling tobacco to children,"
said Anne Kennedy, chair of the board of the American Lung Association
of California. "Illegal tobacco sales to children needs to
stop in order to help prevent another generation from becoming
addicted to one of the most dangerous and life-threatening products
on the market. Most smokers begin their deadly habit before they
are 18. For retailers, obeying the law is simple: check a person’s
identification, calculate age and stop selling tobacco to children,"
said Kennedy.
The campaign also highlights the tobacco industry’s attempt
to delay or water-down meaningful licensing by promoting its self-regulatory
efforts encouraging retailers to check ID’s of young tobacco
purchasers. The American Lung Association of California will be
running print ads in major California papers beginning today portraying
the tobacco industry as a fox guarding the hen house.
"The tobacco industry is trying to make us believe it can
regulate itself, and therefore, no further regulation is required.
We know this effort to be a deadly joke as revealed by both internal
tobacco industry documents and current activities that demonstrate
the industry continues to target children with their addictive
products," said Kennedy.
Just last month, the California Attorney General’s office
announced that RJR Tobacco was fined $20 million for its violation
of the Master Settlement Agreement for running cigarette ads in
magazines with a high youth readership. The recent Federal Trade
Commission report on tobacco industry advertising expenditures
also reveals an unprecedented increase in marketing at the retail
level. The report shows a 16.2% increase in overall advertising
and promotional expenditures between 1999 and 2000, totaling $9.57
billion.
"Children deserve protection from the dangers of tobacco
addiction and the insidious marketing by the manufacturers of
America’s number one killer," said Kennedy. "Creating
an environment where smoking is not considered the norm and enforcing
the state’s tough secondhand smoke and youth access laws
are key to protecting children’s health."
Many California communities are considering effective licensing
programs with meaningful enforcement. Such programs would require
tobacco retailers to obtain a license, impose fines and revoke
licenses if the retailer is found to repeatedly sell tobacco to
children.
Tobacco use continues to take a physical, emotional and financial
toll on all Californians as the number one preventable cause of
death. Every day in California, nearly 300 children begin smoking.
Of those, 200 will go on to become addicted smokers and half of
those will die prematurely of smoking-related diseases.
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view full-page ad
Paid for by Proposition 99, the Tobacco Tax
Initiative.
The American Lung Association has been fighting lung disease
for more than 90 years. With the generous support of the public
and the help of our volunteers, we have seen many advances against
lung disease. However, our work is not finished. As we look forward
to our second century, we will continue to strive to make breathing
easier for everyone. Along with our medical section, the California
Thoracic Society, we provide educational programs, community service,
advocacy and research. The American Lung Association’s activities
are supported by Holiday Seals and other voluntary contributions.
For more information, visit our web site at www.californialung.org
or call 1.800.LUNG.USA to be connected to your local American
Lung Association.
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