Smoking: Out of sight and out of mind

BY RACHELLE ROCHELLE

How on earth had I missed it?

After a week at the Brooklyn Smoke-Free Partnership, I seemed to have entered a world in which the tobacco industry was everywhere—displayed on every door and store window and looming behind every counter.

Each time I stopped into my pharmacy, corner store or local bodega, I saw a wall of bright colors, special discounts and perfectly placed products—at eye-level behind the counter.  THIS is what our kids see every day when they buy a juice on the way home from school, or run to the corner store to grab some milk.

How had I missed it? It’s just normal. The fact is that there is nothing normal about tobacco—it’s a product that if used as directed will make you sick and leads to over 400,000 deaths a year across the U.S.

Now, over three years later, after spending time in nearly every corner of Brooklyn, I can confirm the countless stats and research: The tobacco industry’s presence at stores where our kids shop is pervasive and concentrated. Real estate in New York City is a scarce commodity, and the tobacco industry can afford to purchase space front and center.

The Brooklyn Smoke-Free Partnership collaborates with community groups that work directly with our youth.  One group, Global Kids, works with young people to examine global issues, make local connections and create change through peer education, social action and service-learning.

Over the past two years, many students have studied the tobacco industry’s effect on their community – walking the streets of their neighborhood to observe the tobacco industry’s marketing and product displays; meeting with doctors to learn the real toll tobacco takes on young people and our borough; and sharing what they’ve learned with their peers in ways they know will get kids’ attention.

We no longer see cigarette TV commercials or read the full-page magazine ads. But the tobacco industry is still particularly adept at the placement, display and marketing of its deadly products.

Tobacco companies spend more than $1 million an hour in this country alone to market their products. Studies show that it works –every day, over 3,500 kids will pick up their first cigarette.

Since tobacco use is still the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., the industry must constantly find new customers because their current ones are getting sick and dying.

A recent study published in Pediatrics indicates that requiring stores to keep tobacco product displays hidden from children is one of the most important factors in reducing purchase attempts by underage youth.

I commend countries like Canada, the UK, Australia and Ireland for taking this bold step to reduce youth smoking. They have allowed stores to continue selling tobacco, a legal product, but require them to keep all tobacco products out of view of children.

Adult smokers can still buy their cigarettes. In fact, studies show that 90 percent of adult tobacco users are brand loyal and brand decisions are rarely made at the point-of-sale, so not displaying tobacco products will not affect adult sales.

It’s our job to protect Brooklyn’s youth. The tobacco industry sees them as the next generation of smokers. We have to change the norm. It’s unacceptable that 90 percent of adult daily smokers begin before the age of 18. Out of sight, out of mind? I say yes.

Rachelle Rochelle is borough manager, Brooklyn Smoke-Free Partnership.