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1
August 2002
East
County Students Kick “Butts”
Announce Results of Youth Purchase Survey
Undercover Operation Reveals Cigarettes Are as Easy to Get as Candy
What:
East
County students release results of undercover tobacco purchase survey. Present
a HUGE thank you card to businesses that did not sell. Encourage all tobacco
retailers to participate in training of store employees to abide by the
law and learn about the dangerous effects of teen smoking.
Why:
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Tobacco
retailers fail to check IDs and continue to sell to minors. |
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El
Cajon tobacco merchants surpassed the state’s 17.1 percent rate
of sales to minors. |
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Smoking
is the NUMBER ONE cause of death in the nation. |
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Every day, nearly
300 California children begin to smoke. Of those, 200 will become
addicted smokers and 100 will die prematurely because of smoking. |
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Most of the
42,000 Californians who die each year from smoking-related causes
began to smoke before they could purchase tobacco products legally. |
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In 1999, 23.1
% of San Diego County high school students reported tobacco use. |
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Cigarette smoking
is a “gateway” to illicit drug use. |
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It is against
the law to sell tobacco products to minors, punishable by a $200 fine. |
When:
Monday, August 5, 2002, 10:30 AM
Where:
Tyke’s Liquor parking lot, 807 Jamacha Rd., El Cajon
Who:
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East
County high school students and STAAND members. |
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Lt. Jim Cunningham,
El Cajon Police Department, (619) 441-1561 |
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Arkan
Somo, California Independent Grocers and Convenience Stores, (619)
464-8485 |
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Ralph
Ablahad, Manager, Tyke’s Liquor, (619) 579-0511 |
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Diane
Ake, Communities Against Substance Abuse, (619) 442-2727 ext. 111 |
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Zaharela Ibarra,
Mark Labella, Sonia Saxon, Sara McCurdy, STAAND, (619) 855-0941 |
Visuals:
Packages
of CIGARETTES purchased by minors. Letters written to tobacco retailers.
Students displaying HUGE thank you cards. Digital tobacco calendar. Tobacco
signs. RESPECT (Retailers Pledge Effective Tobacco Control) signs.
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