Tobacco 19: Taking Youth Smoking On

By Torie Wells (Good Medicine)
April 2, 2009 1:45 pm

Statistics show that 90% of adult smokers started before the age of 18. In an effort to fight youth smoking, and decrease tobacco use overall, Onondaga County is making it harder for teenagers to get a hold of it.

Ryan DeOrdio will soon turn 18. He's looking forward to legal adulthood, including the right to vote.

"I like writing and talking about my political views," he said.

But there's one right he's willing to give up, buying tobacco.

"When people smoke it's hurting more than themselves, obviously with secondhand smoke, but also the Medicare costs," he said.

Ryan took this issue on. First, he wrote an essay for the "Voices" section of the "Post Standard" in October. Then, he spoke to the County Legislature shortly after. Now, here in Onondaga County-18-year-olds can't legally purchase tobacco products. And it's because of Tobacco 19, a new law enacted March 1st, raising the purchase age.

"The thought behind Tobacco 19 is just to get tobacco out of the schools. There aren't a lot of 19, 20-year-olds in school still," said Jenny Dickinson from Tobacco Free Onondaga County.

It was first introduced in 2006 but was vetoed twice, first by former County Executive Nicholas Pirro and then by current Executive Joanie Mahoney. The legislature over-rode that veto this past December, adding Onondaga County to two others in the state, taking action against youth smoking.

"We do know that making cigarettes harder to obtain will affect youth smoking. In 2006, there was a study of 7th graders. Thirty percent got cigarettes through friends, so we know it's a problem with youth obtaining cigarettes in schools," Dickinson said.

Because this law is so new in Onondaga County, Dickinson said there is no real data yet. Local retailers are the only ones who can really tell if it’s working.

"The age thing happened when the cost increased about 75 cents every time that happens, we see a decrease in sales," said Jack Glisson, owner of Glisson’s Mobil.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Tobacco 19 is working. Glisson says it might deter some teenagers, but even with his employees enforcing the law, there are loopholes.

"They'll find a way to get it. I'm sure they have friends who are older, and it's happened for years, you always find someone older to buy you the drinks or cigarettes so it's still going to happen," he said.

Dickinson says statistics from other states with similar laws show there is a positive effect. She said even a small impact is worth it in the long run.

"The harder you can make it for older youth to obtain cigarettes in order to pass down to 11 to 12-year-olds, it's a good measure," she said.