Board Members
Alicia Mckellar, President Family Resource Center
Warren Rehwaldt. M.D. 494 Pacific Avenue
Jeff Harris Family Crescent City, CA 95531
Lonnie Reyman Resource
Patti Vernelson Center of the Telephone: 707.464.0955
Heather Snow Redwoods
Erik Apperson
Executive Director Children and families are happy,
Amira Long
healthy, safe and successful in life.
May 25, 2021
Dear Crescent City Council Members:
The Family Resource Center of the Redwoods is writing to you to encourage you to support the passage of an ordinance in the City of Crescent City that would implement the licensing of tobacco retailers. We urge the Crescent City Council to make this a priority because not only is the illegal sales of nicotine products a problem in our community, but the targeted marketing tactics of Big Tobacco prey on our youth.
Within Del Norte County, over 14% of high school students currently use tobacco products and 29% of middle school and high school students have ever tried a tobacco product. A survey conducted in 2020 of local tobacco retailers found that 25%, 3 out of 12 stores, sell tobacco to our youth. Another survey tells us that 39% of children in our community say it's very easy to buy tobacco products, despite the fact that selling tobacco to minors is illegal in California. The illegal sales of commercial tobacco and nicotine products to minors is a critical issue because the easier it is for kids to smoke their first cigarette, the more likely it is that they will become hooked and ultimately pay for their addiction with their lives. Nearly 90% of the 42,000 Californians who die each year from smoking-related diseases started their deadly habit while they were still children.
The best way to keep tobacco away from kids is to stop selling it to them. Requiring a license or permit to sell tobacco products sends retailers the message that we are serious about protecting our kids from the deadly addiction of tobacco. Over 200 communities in California already have passed laws and ordinances requiring tobacco retailers to obtain licenses to sell tobacco products.
No other legal product sold in America disables and kills the majority of its lifelong users. Please protect the health and safety of our children, by supporting a strong tobacco retailer licensing ordinance for tobacco retailers here in Crescent City.
Sincerely,
Amusing,
Amira Long
Executive Directo
Family Resource Center of the Redwoods