Okaloosa County BOCC — 2013 meeting #1139 (date undetermined) — Tobacco Resolution — reading text

Resolution No. 13-__ A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF OKALOOSA COUNTY, FLORIDA, URGING TOBACCO RETAILERS TO STOP THE SALE AND MARKETING OF FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS IN OKALOOSA COUNTY; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE WHEREAS, tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, and almost 90 percent of tobacco users smokers started before they were 18 years old; and WHEREAS, each day, more than 4,000 young people try smoking for the first time, and another 2,000 youth become regular daily smokers; and WHEREAS, the Surgeon General has concluded that tobacco advertising greatly contributes to youth smoking rates; and WHEREAS, an estimated one third of adolescent experimentation with smoking can be directly attributed to tobacco advertising promotional activities; and WHEREAS, the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) reached in 1998 between state Attorneys General and major tobacco companies forbids cigarette manufacturers from directly or indirectly targeting youth in advertizing, marketing and promotion of tobacco products aimed at initiating, maintaining or increasing youth smoking; and WHEREAS, internal tobacco industry documents strongly suggest that manufacturers intentionally target youth through use of candy-like flavors in tobacco products; and WHEREAS, research from Harvard School of Public Health (published November 2005) found that cigarette makers are targeting young smokers with new candy and liqueur-flavored brands that masks the harsh and toxic properties found in tobacco smoke. Tobacco companies use youth-oriented colorful and stylish packaging, and exploit adolescents' attraction to candy flavors with names such as "Mandarin Mint", "Winter Toffee" and "Twista Chill"; and WHEREAS, national studies have found that the vast majority of people who are using these flavored tobacco products are youth and young adults; and WHEREAS, research by the Students Working Against Tobacco youth shows that all of the local tobacco retailers surveyed in the City of Crestview sell flavored tobacco products of various kinds as detailed in the research report attached; and WHEREAS, some of these tobacco products, specifically flavored cigars and blunts wraps are also used as drug paraphernalia for smoking for marijuana; and WHEREAS, flavored tobacco products are defined as loose tobacco including snuff flour, plug and twist tobacco, fine cuts, chewing tobacco, snus, shisha tobacco, smoking or snuffing tobacco products, and all other kinds and forms oftobacco, including but not limited to cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco products and blunt wraps prepared in such a manner with the purpose for chewing, inhaling, smoking or ingesting in any manner in which the product or any of its component parts (including the tobacco, filter, or paper) contain, as a constituent (including a smoke constituent) or additive, an artificial or natural flavor (other than tobacco or menthol) or an herb or spice, including but not limited to, strawberry, grape, orange, clove, cinnamon, pineapple, vanilla, coconut, licorice, cocoa, chocolate, cherry, coffee, or alcohol flavors, that is a characterizing flavor of the tobacco product or tobacco smoke. NOW, THERFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the County Commission of Okaloosa County, Florida: The Board urges all local retailers who sell tobacco products to cease the sale and marketing of all flavored tobacco products, which are defined as loose tobacco including snuff flour, plug and twist tobacco, fine cuts, chewing tobacco, snus, smoking or snuffing products, and all other kinds and forms of tobacco, including but not limited to cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco products and blunt wraps, prepared in such a manner with the purpose for chewing, inhaling, smoking or ingesting in any manner which have been flavored through the addition of natural or artificial flavorings, herbs, spices or other means with flavors characterizing fruit, candy, alcohol or other similar flavorings with the exception that menthol will not be included in the definition. DULY PASSED AND ADOPTED this 18th day of June, 2013. BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OKALOOSA COUNTY, FLORIDA ________________________________ Don R. Amunds, Chairman ATTEST: _______________________________ Don W. Howard Clerk of Circuit Court