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Okaloosa County BOCC — 2013 meeting #1139 (date undetermined) — SWAT Cover Letter — reading text
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Students Working Against Tobacco
221 Hospital Drive NE
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
May 31, 2013
Board of County Commissioners
1804 Lewis Turner Blvd. Suite 100
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547
Dear Board of County Commissioners:
Student’s Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) 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
Students Working Against Tobacco club of Okaloosa County would like to attend your meeting
on Tuesday, June 18 to propose a resolution to ban the sale of candy flavored tobacco.
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.
Sincerely,
Students Working Against Tobacco