Okaloosa County BOCC — 2013 meeting #1139 (date undetermined) — Action Item Printout — reading text

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA REQUEST DATE: June 18, 2013 TO: Honorable Chairman and Members of the Board FROM: Rick Owen SUBJECT: Visitor - Students Working Against Tobacco DEPARTMENT: County Administrator BCC DISTRICT: All STATEMENT OF ISSUE: The Students Working Against Tobacco club of Okaloosa County request to appear before the Board to make a presentation in favor of banning candy flavored tobacco in Okaloosa County through a proposed resolution. BACKGROUND: Student’s Working Against Tobacco is Florida’s statewide youth organization to mobilize, educate and equip Florida youth to revolt against and de-glamorize Big Tobacco. We are a united movement of Florida empowered youth working toward a tobacco- free future. The sale of candy flavored tobacco is quickly becoming a growing issue. Ninety percent of all adult smokers began before the age of 18. Candy flavored tobacco is more preferred over regular tobacco to youth because it masks the harsh flavor, there is a wide variety of flavors, and there is a high curiosity to experiment with the different flavors. Addiction can begin within days to weeks of the first experimentation, and many kids experiment with flavored tobacco. We would like to propose a resolution to ban the sale of candy flavored tobacco in hopes that retail stores will take the matter more seriously. If kids do not have the option when in a convenience store to purchase flavored tobacco they are less likely to purchase any tobacco at all. Various surrounding counties and cities already have resolutions in place banning the sale of candy flavored tobacco. RECOMMENDED BY: APPROVED BY: Ernie Padgett, County Administrator