Teen smokers upset over the prospect of facing fines for tobacco possession under a proposed Naperville ordinance might be getting more bad news about the city’s tough stance on their habit.
Heavier penalties are included in a draft of the proposed code change circulating in the city this week. The new version of the measure, which would make the possession of tobacco products illegal for those younger than 18, includes language that would subject some offenders to fines and community service hours, classes or a smoking-cessation program.
Naperville Police Chief David Dial said two-time violators could face a fine of at least $100 and mandatory enrollment in one of two programs planned by the Edward Cardiovascular Institute in the city.
The Naperville City Council is expected to vote Tuesday on the proposed law first reviewed last month. The first version of the proposed ordinance called for a minimum fine of $50 for a first offense and fines of up to $500 for repeat violations.
“The proposed ordinance was modified at the direction of the council,” Dial said. “They had asked that it include provisions for the classes and the cessation program. The result is this latest draft, which is a little tougher.”
Dial said those who are caught three times with tobacco could face a fine of at least $250, a mandatory class and at least 10 hours of community service. Fines and community service hours would increase with additional violations.
First-time offenders would have the option of paying a minimum fine of $75 or taking a class, Dial said.
The Edward Cardiovascular Institute classes named in the draft ordinance are the Tobacco Education Group and the Tobacco Awareness Program. Institute officials said that the Tobacco Education Group is a one-week program of less than six hours designed to teach teens about the dangers of tobacco use and that the Tobacco Awareness Program is an eight-week support group aimed at helping them kick the habit.. Both are scheduled to begin Nov. 10 at the center.
Chris Rambke, director of business development for the institute, said the two programs were planned for Naperville as an outgrowth of Community 2000, a volunteer effort spearheaded by Edward Hospital to assess the future health needs of Naperville.
The only reservation Rambke said she has is that some teen smokers who have no interest kicking their habit will inevitably wind up in the cessation group.
“The success rate for quitting smoking is much higher when people voluntarily choose to be a part of these programs,” she said.
Dial said that if the proposed ordinance is approved Tuesday, his department will begin a four-week campaign to educate Naperville teens and their parents about the new rules. He said police officers would begin enforcing the law Nov. 1.
Rambke, a chairwoman of the Community 2000 task force on teen smoking and its task force on cardiovascular disease prevention, said leaders of the institute worked with organizations including the DuPage County Health Department.
She said Naperville Community Unit School District 203 and Indian Prairie School District 204 have sought the smoking programs, with District 203 preparing to offer the classes to students caught smoking as an alternative to suspension.
Rambke said the institute soon will begin training 10 instructors but said more preparation might be necessary to handle the number of teens the new Naperville ordinance could send to the programs, which have their origins in Minneapolis.
