FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Michelle Zimmerman
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
740.525.9577 (cell)
[email protected]
ACS CAN Praises Columbus’s Increase in Tobacco Sales Age to 21; Urge Other Localities to Follow Suit
Columbus, OH – December 12, 2016 – The Columbus City Council passed a measure today that will prohibit the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes, to anyone under 21. The current age requirement is 18. The following statement can be attributed to Jeff Stephens, Ohio government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN)
“We applaud the Columbus City Council for passing this potentially lifesaving public health measure that includes strong enforcement measures. Research shows that if a person does not begin smoking at a young age, they are much less likely to ever smoke. In fact, nearly 95 percent of adults who smoke started smoking before the age of 21 and nearly 100 percent started by age 26.
“Raising the age of sale for tobacco products is a step toward saving lives, and restricting youth and young adult access to tobacco products can be a critical component of a comprehensive strategy to reduce initiation and lifelong tobacco addiction.
“Tobacco is the number one preventable cause of death nationwide. In Ohio, smoking will claim an estimated 20,200 lives this year alone, and one-third of all cancer deaths are related to tobacco use. Limiting youth access to tobacco can help reduce cancer and death from tobacco-related disease for generations to come.
“Thanks to today’s City Council vote, Columbus will be on the forefront of fighting tobacco use. The public health impact is particularly significant as Columbus is the largest city in Ohio and the 15th largest city in the United States. We urge other municipalities across Ohio, as well as the state legislature, to follow Columbus’ lead and take similar action to protect the health of the state’s youth.
“ACS CAN will join with other public health groups to pursue tobacco 21 in other cities across the state and eventually statewide.”
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.
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