St. Paul City Council to Hear Testimony on Imitation Tobacco Products and Novelty Lighters
Please pass this information on to anyone who lives, shops or works in St. Paul
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St. Paul City Council Hearing
Wednesday, April 1st at 5:30pm
St. Paul City Hall
15 W. Kellogg Blvd, 3rd Floor
St. Paul, MN  55025
 
Background:
St. Paul youth conducted a survey of neighborhood stores and found candy tobacco products and toy lighters that clearly were attractive to young children. The students saw this as a big problem and wanted to find solutions.  They met with council members to identify alternatives. The youth and elected officials developed an ordinance to restrict the sale of foux tobacco products and toy lighters.  On March 18th, 2009 an ordinance restricting the sale of these products was introduced by Councilmember Melvin Carter III: see Pioneer Press and WCCO Radio.
 
The students, along with the public, have the opportunity to voice their opinions about restricting the sale of candy tobacco products and toy lighters at a public hearing on Wednesday, April 1 at 5:30pm.  Please join us at City Hall to support all the hard work these students have done.  If you plan on attending, please let us so we can provide you with further details. If you cannot attend the hearing, public comments can still be made by email, mail or phone.
 
To email or call the city council members:
Council President Kathy Lantry:            ward7@ci.stpaul.mn.us            (651) 266-8670
Councilmember Melvin Carter III:         ward1@ci.stpaul.mn.us            (651) 266-8610
Councilmember David Thune:              ward2@ci.stpaul.mn.us            (651) 266-8620
Councilmember Pat Harris:                  ward3@ci.stpaul.mn.us            (651) 266-8630
Councilmember Russ Stark:                 ward4@ci.stpaul.mn.us            (651) 266-8640
Councilmember Lee Helgen:                ward5@ci.stpaul.mn.us            (651) 266-8650
Councilmember Dan Bostrom:              ward6@ci.stpaul.mn.us            (651) 266-8660
 
If you live, shop or work in St. Paul you can get involved. To view the ward map and who respresents you visit: http://www.stpaul.gov/index.asp?NID=2169
 
Key Points Related to Candy Cigarettes and Toy Lighters:

    * Studies in journals such as British Medical Journal, Pediatrics and Preventive Medicine report that candy cigarettes and other imitation tobacco products predispose kids to tobacco use later in life.
    * Candy tobacco products desensitize the harmful effects of tobacco and promote tobacco use as socially acceptable.
    * Several countries such as Kuwait, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, UK and Canada have prohibited the sale of candy cigarettes.
    * Many small independently owned stores sell candy tobacco products.
    * Conoco-Phillips, CVS, Exxon-Mobil and Wal-Mart have agreed not to sell candy cigarettes and/or other imitation tobacco products.
    * Numerous toy lighters looking like guns, candy bars, & sports equipments are for sale in St. Paul.
    * The World Health Organization encourages countries to prohibit "the manufacture or sale of sweets, snacks, toys or other objects in the form of tobacco products which appeal to minors" to discourage youth tobacco use.

 
What the students found:
Toy lighters
See if you can find the tobacco amongst the other snacks:

<font size="3">See if you can find the tobacco amongst the other snacks:    </font>






About the Association for Nonsmokers- MN (ANSR).
ANSR's mission is to promote nonsmoking and protect the health of nonsmokers. Programs include Live Smoke Free, Tobacco- Free Youth Recreation, Ramsey Tobacco Coalition, ViaChamp.
 

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