Greetings!  

IAFP issued the following statement today in support of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's proposals to reduce youth smoking by curbing sales of menthol and flavored products as well as discouraging e-cigarette use.  You can also contact your Alderman and ask for her or her support for this comprehensive approach to tackle youth smoking in Chicago.  

Questions?  Contact Ginnie Flynn at gflynn@iafp.com and thank you for your support!

More information for you:

-Policy brief on Menthol

-Fact sheet on e-cigarettes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ginnie Flynn, 630-427-8004 Office 630-263-4613 Mobile and gflynn@iafp.com.

Illinois Academy of Family Physicians Calls on City Council to Support Regulation of Kid-Friendly Tobacco Products
Mayor Emanuel Proposal Will Help Reduce Number of Youth Smokers

LISLE, Ill. November 25, 2013 - The Illinois Academy of Family Physicians (IAFP), representing over 4,200 members statewide and over 1,200 in Chicago, called on members of the Chicago City Council to publicly endorse Mayor Rahm Emanuel's proposed ordinances expanding tobacco control policies targeted at protecting Chicago's youth.

Mayor Emanuel has wisely taken a multi-strategy approach to the difficult problem of tobacco use. "The proposed ordinances to regulate products that are aimed at hooking new and younger customers, along with higher tobacco taxes will work to deter youth smoking," said Deborah L. Edberg, MD, IAFP Second Vice President and a family physician at Erie Family Health Center in Humboldt Park. "Together, these ordinances help thousands in Chicago break the nicotine addiction."

IAFP strongly supports the ordinance tackling menthol and other flavors, restricting sales of flavored cigarettes, including menthol-flavored cigarettes, near schools. Flavored tobacco is known to be a "starter" product for youth who begin smoking. For example, kids aged 12-17 smoke menthols at a higher rate than any other age group.

According to troubling statistic from the National Youth Tobacco Survey, the use of e-cigarettes among middle and high school students doubled from 2011 to 2012. Mayor Emanuel's proposed ordinance will make it more difficult for youth to access e-cigarettes by placing the same safeguards around these products as traditional cigarettes, such keeping e-cigarettes behind the retail counter and enforcing age restrictions. "E-cigarettes have not been proven to be safe," said Edberg. "Family physicians are concerned by youths increasingly using a product that looks like a cigarette and is marketed like a cigarette."

This ordinance will also amend the city's Clean Indoor Air ordinance to include the use of electronic smoking devices, making Chicago the first major city to attempt to restrict their use in public places.

The impact of the policy proposals can be strengthened by a new awareness campaign launched by the city aimed at reducing use of menthol-flavored cigarettes by youth. Chicago is the first major city to run a large-scale ad campaign aimed squarely at curbing the use of mentholated products.

"We applaud Mayor Emanuel for taking a bold and comprehensive approach to ending the cycle of addiction to harmful tobacco products," concludes Edberg. "Chicago can be the nation's leader on this important issue and we hope that our success in enacting these policies will quickly bring down smoking rates and protect our kids from Big Tobacco."