Letter to the Editor

Against flavored tobacco

Dear Editor

As a Revere parent and staff member of the Revere CARES coalition I care deeply about the health and wellbeing of our youth and I was alarmed to learn from Lacina Onco of the Metro Boston Tobacco-Free Community Partnership how the tobacco industry uses fruit and candy flavored tobacco products to target young people.  The tobacco industry makes these products cheap and readily available at gas stations, corner stores and other places that youth frequently visit.

This is important because flavored tobacco products are considered “starter” products that can lead young people to long-term tobacco addiction. These products use the same flavors as popular candy and soft drinks to attract young buyers. The tobacco industry is targeting our kids with these products and this has to stop.

That’s why I was thrilled to see the ad in the Revere Beach station alerting parents to the ways that, “Big Tobacco is Sweet Talking our Kids.” Those ads help spread the word about Big Tobacco’s efforts to attract young people and tell concerned adults that they can learn more at GetOutraged.org. Outraged is the way I’m feeling about the tobacco industry.

Young people in many communities are seeing these flavored tobacco products every day in the convenience stores they visit.  Other communities have taken steps to remove these products from stores that youth frequent. It’s time for more adults in Revere to take notice and take action.

I encourage all concerned adults to visit GetOutraged.org to learn about flavored tobacco and how to support efforts to reduce the influence of the tobacco industry on our youth.  Let’s Get Outraged!

Viviana Catano-Merino
Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Task Force Manager
Revere CARES Coalition

 

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