Letter: Stop teen tobacco use

We are S.T.O.R.M, a youth group consisting of high school students in Del Norte County that advocates for a tobacco-free community, and we are writing this letter in light of Take Down Tobacco National Day of Action, which was on April 1. We are concerned about the growing trend that is appearing at our schools and all around this town, which is tobacco use. Specifically the usage of products like vapes, cigarettes and chew; which we notice all around our community and even at school among our peers.

Did you know that approximately about 1.5 million packs of cigarettes are purchased for minors every year? In fact, 4 out of 5 of our local stores with pharmacies sell tobacco products when pharmacies should be places where people go to improve their health. Also, on average, teenagers who smoke are three times more likely to use alcohol, eight times more likely to smoke marijuana and 22 times more likely to use cocaine. 

According to the California Student Tobacco Survey, over 12% of high school students in Del Norte County currently use tobacco products. If this number grows, then many high school students will have tried tobacco products within their four years of school putting them at higher risk of future use of alcohol, marijuana and other drugs.

As high schoolers, we are worried for our generation, especially when the CDC states that 90% of adult smokers started before they were 18 years old. Our hope is that our community will stand together in preventing tobacco use among young people and make changes to promote a tobacco-free community.

Sincerely,

S.T.O.R.M Youth Group (Standing Together Overcoming addiction with a Radical Movement)