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Putnam Valley is First Municipality to Support "POW'R Against Tobacco"
by Edward Paul Greiff
In a unanimous decision the Putnam Valley Town Board voted on May 16, 2007 to adopt a "Tobacco Point of Purchase Resolution" sponsored by the "POW'R (Putnam-Orange-Westchester-Rockland) Against Tobacco" Coalition.
Councilman Dan Ricci said that even though he smokes and has tried to quit smoking many times he supports this resolution because it might help prevent kids from getting started on a smoking habit. Councilman Bob Tendy, a cigar smoker, supported Ricci's statement as did the other three Board members who are non-smokers.
Mr. Anthony P. Massarelli, the Putnam County Coalition Coordinator at POW'R Against Tobacco spoke at the Town Board meeting at the request of Supervisor Sam Davis. Mr. Massarelli explained that POW'R is a community partnership created in 1992 as a four-county coalition made up of Putnam, Orange, Westchester, and Rockland counties. The program is funded by a state grant from the NYS Department of Health - Bureau of Tobacco Use, Prevention, and Control.
POW'R's mission is to promote community awareness about the effects of tobacco use and its related lung diseases. POW'R is one of several funded partners that include Cessation Center Partners, Reality Check (Youth Partners), and School Policy Partners.
The "POW'R Against Tobacco" Coalition has several clearly defined and measurable goals and objectives they plan to accomplish within the upcoming year:
1 - Eliminate exposure to second hand smoke by increasing the percent of adults and youth who live in households and drive or ride in vehicles where smoking is prohibited.
2 - Decrease social acceptability of tobacco use by reducing tobacco company promotions occurring in bars, fraternities and other "adult only" facilities, and reducing the amount of tobacco advertising in the retail environment, and increasing the number of magazine and newspapers that have a written policy prohibiting the acceptance of tobacco industry or product advertising. One of the strategies for accomplishing this involves municipalities enacting resolutions opposing point of purchase advertising. Putnam Valley is the first town in Putnam County to enact such a resolution.
3 - Promote cessation from tobacco use by increasing the percentage of smokers who have heard of and called the New York Smokers "Quit line."
Mr. Massarelli explained that one of their initiatives is to seek a municipality resolution (Putnam Valley adopted) supporting the reduction, re-arrangement, and or removal of tobacco advertising in retail stores where tobacco products are sold. In particular they would like to work with retail owners as "potential partners" not adversaries.
Within the next few weeks they will be mailing letters with a brochure asking retailers to consider reducing, rearranging or removing tobacco advertising in stores targeting youth. Mr. Massarelli said that not only will Putnam Valley be the first municipality to support this resolution, but they will serve as a beacon throughout Putnam County promoting community awareness about how tobacco advertising negatively targets the youth.
In his presentation, Mr. Massarelli said according to "Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids" Tobacco companies spend $516 million dollars on advertising in New York State, $15 billion nationwide."
"The tobacco industry needs to recruit 5,000 new young smokers every day to maintain the total number of smokers (due to the number of people who quit or die from tobacco related illness each year. The advertising is targeting the youth - called "Replacement Smokers."
According to the American Heart Association website, the Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 90% of smokers begin tobacco use before age 20; 50% begin tobacco use by age 14, 25% begin their smoking addiction by age 12 (the 6th grade). The window of opportunity is from 6th grade to 10th grade students.
Mr. Massarelli said he recently attended three community events in Putnam County where he asked adults to sign a petition supporting the reduction, rearrangement, or removal of Tobacco Advertising in stores; 210 families signed the petition.
By adopting this Resolution Putnam Valley is sending a message that they are dedicated to the sustainable growth, health and well-being of their community and its citizens, says Anthony Massarelli.
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