Apr 16, 2002 3 min read

Few adults are stupid enough to start smoking. If kids can reach 19 without developing the habit, odds are great that they won’t ever start as 90 percent of today’s smokers started as teen-agers. The tobacco industry loses 1,200 of its loyal customers each day to smoking-related deaths, so big tobacco has a financial stake in recruiting as many replacement smokers as possible from our pool of kids. We have just as much at stake to keep them from becoming one of the 63,000 Pennsylvania teens who picks up a daily habit each year.

So far Pennsylvania is losing the battle, but the state Health Department claims this will soon turn around. In fact the department began earlier this month running television ads to warn retailers of the evils and risks of selling tobacco to minors. The commercials are part of a $6 million fine and settlement with the federal government that Pennsylvania was forced to pay because it failed to crack down on stores selling to youth. In 1999, a kid could walk into 10 stores and find more than four willing to exchange tobacco for cash. Today, nearly three out of every 10 stores violates the law, which is still more than the goal the feds have set for the states.

And the ads are meant to warn stores about the law before Pennsylvania is slapped with another noncompliance fine.

But the problem is far deeper than a glitzy ad campaign. Only police departments have the jurisdiction to enforce the laws forbidding the sale of tobacco to minors. The health department claims that more local police departments are signing up for its reimbursement programs, that more stores are checked for compliance and that district justices are levying heavier fines, leaning more toward the $300 maximum rather than the $25 minimum.

But let’s face it there are far too few cops on the beat juggling far more serious crimes to devote much time or money to setting up tobacco buys at local stores.

If a pack of cigarettes were viewed as the lethal weapon that it is, police would be crawling all over this crime. A special task force would be formed and a massive crackdown launched. Perhaps that is exactly what the General Assembly should do by creating a tobacco enforcement squad similar to its liquor control officers to tackle sales to minors. That way if store owners and managers fail to act responsibly in obeying the law, at least they would feel more pressure to comply.

Right now there isn’t much to stop them although there is a youth movement to shame them into compliance. It is indeed great that the health department is encouraging, training and educating these teens, but with four out of every 10 high school seniors considering themselves addicted to tobacco much more needs accomplished.

To this end, most of the tobacco settlement funds set aside for prevention and cessation programs will be divided among the 67 counties to tailor programs specifically for their areas. Fayette County Drug and Alcohol recently was awarded the contract for this area. We already know that Fayette is on the high side when it comes to teen smoking so we will be anxious to see what programs are developed and how quickly they are implemented.

In the meantime every parent, teacher, storekeeper or any adult for that matter, must act responsibly in refusing to sell or buy tobacco for kids. We must take the lead until they are old enough to decide whether they will smoke. Chances are by the time they are old enough to legally smoke, they will recognize how foolish – and deadly – it is.