The Illinois Coalition Against Tobacco (ICAT) is disappointed to learn that the Highland Park City Council and police chief are opposed to penalizing merchants who illegally sell tobacco to minors and are actively discouraging Highland Park school children from participating in the social-change process, as reported by Eric Zorn (Metro, Sept. 29). We echo Mr. Zorn’s sentiment that these students should be commended for taking action to prevent their friends and future generations from unscrupulous merchants who are knowingly breaking the law–selling cigarettes to minors.
ICAT and its lead agencies, the American Lung Association and American Heart Association, applauded Highland Park two years ago when it passed one of the area’s toughest tobacco licensing ordinances that included fines to the merchants of $1,000. But instead of fining merchants who profit from tobacco sales, the police decided to fine the children. Since the ordinance went into effect, 50 children have been fined, but not one merchant. This behavior on the part of the police, apparently condoned by the Highland Park City Council, will only result in ongoing illegal sales of cigarettes to children and smoking rates will stay high.
The only method documented as causing long-term reductions in the sale of cigarettes to children is fining merchants who have been caught selling to them. This method not only reduces sales of cigarettes to children but reduces youth smoking rates as well.
