Access to tobacco products by minors

As Approved by CMMC Public Policy Committee on November 21, 1996

WHEREAS, tobacco products are the leading environmental cause of death in the United States; and

WHEREAS, tobacco products are illegally sold to minors in sufficient quantity, that the median age of initiation of tobacco use is 14 years, and almost 90% of all smokers have begun to smoke before 18 years; and

WHEREAS, the nicotine in tobacco products is addicting, thus making smoking cessation after initiating the habit difficult to impossible; and

WHEREAS, 70-80% of attempts to purchase tobacco products by underage individuals are successful in the state of Illinois,

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Board of Directors approves an institutional policy that stricter legislation regulating the sale of tobacco products to minors be developed by the state of Illinois. The legislation should include licensing tobacco retailers, stiff penalties to merchants that sell tobacco products to minors, limits on promotional activities to minors, and the permission to monitor compliance. No language which preempts local communities from enacting stricter legislation should be included. Penalties for possession of tobacco products should be either excluded from this legislation or minimal.