Tobacco Facts.

Retailers in unincorporated Will County will need a license to sell tobacco under an ordinance approved unanimously by the county board Thursday.

County Executive Larry Walsh’s office will have licensing duties in this respect that are similar to the executive’s duties as liquor commissioner, said county board member Don Gould, R-Shorewood, chairman of the public health and safety committee.

The license will have a $25 fee, and the ordinance includes penalty provisions for those who are not in compliance, Gould said. Also, sheriff’s deputies will have the power to conduct compliance checks.
Young voices
The initiative for regulation began with efforts by a group of high school students from Plainfield School District, Gould said.

“They’ve been actively attending all the meetings in committee probably for the last four months,” he said.

Six students spoke at Thursday’s meeting, explaining the benefits of the proposed ordinance.

“Licensing increases accountabilty,” said Brittany Arnold, of Joliet. “Studies have shown that when you have licensing, retailers are less likely to sell to minors.”

The ordinance underscores the importance of safeguards against tobacco sales to minors. In Illinois, more than 29 percent of high-school-age youth smoke, while only 23 percent of the adult population smoke, according to statistics mentioned in the document.

Also, the ordinance said 4,000 youths start smoking each day, and more than 1 million youth start smoking each year — a third of whom will die of smoking-related illnesses.

Ala Salamen, of Joliet, also cited dramatic statistics in support of the new regulations.

“In these grim economic times, we need to work together to improve our nation’s monetary issues,” Salamen said. “In Illinois alone, tobacco-related health care costs equate to $4 billion per annum.”

Nineteen Will County municipalities have a similar ordinance, said Allan Babu, of Yorkville.

“It’s working neat and clean, and they don’t have any problem with the ordinance working there,” Babu said. “We’re not trying to introduce something new here. We are just translating an existing ordinance into our community.”

“We have licensing for alcohol. We’ve got to do the same for tobacco products. It’s the right thing to do,” said David Gloria, of Joliet. “We need to make Will County a place where we want to live and be proud of living in.”

Tobacco is an age-restricted product and a health-related risk, said John Egner, of Joliet.

Buying tobacco is too easy for kids, and retailers should be held accountable, said Sumaiya Saad, of Joliet.
Floor action
Students observed two other elements of county board business — amendment and debate — as the issue was addressed Thursday:

• Gould introduced an amendment to the ordinance, and his motion was approved.

“To ensure employer responsibility and self-compliance, all applicants will be required to either (1) attend a vendor education session or (2) view a video recording of the same issued by the Will County Health Department,” the amendment states in part.

• County board Chairman Jim Moustis, R-Frankfort, supported the ordinance, but did bring up several concerns about training and enforcement. The board discussed the issue for more than a half-hour. A recurring theme was the influence teenagers have on one another.

“If young people want to stop younger people from smoking, it will come from their peers more than it will ever come from a retailer, in my opinion,” Moustis said. “They start smoking because of peer pressure, and they can stop smoking because of peer pressure. So don’t give those efforts up, young people, to tell your peers not to smoke.”
© Copyright: Suburbanchicagonews

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