Your conclusion is quite right.  The promotion of so-called "youth
possession laws" is a well known strategy of the tobacco industry.  The
industry loves to have communities focus not on "best practices" in tobacco
control but on the victims of tobacco industry promotion, the children and
youth who are to become replacement smokers.  Please add our report on best
practices in tobacco control to your arsenal. It says, in part:

The tobacco industry is also known for promoting strategies that are
ineffective.
Some of these include:
*Youth possession laws.

 <<BestPracticesTobaccoControl.pdf>>

Lynn Greaves
Population and Public Health Services
Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region
M53 - 2110 Hamilton Street
Regina, SK  S4P 2E3   Canada
T (306) 766-7903  Cell (306) 529-2766
F (306) 766-7798
[log in to unmask]

> ----------
> From:         Larry O'Connor[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Reply To:     Health Promotion on the Internet
> Sent:         February 21, 2005 5:07 PM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      [CLICK4HP] Children Targeted for the sins of the Tobacco
> industry
>
> Dear Fellow Clickers,
>
> It is said that all politics is local. So on a local note a member of of
> of Health and Social Services committee ( like a Board of Health) in
> Durham introduce a motion to target children that smoke. The a motion
> that passed at asked the Ontario government to criminalize youth that
> smoke.  That motion goes to goes to Durham Region Council in less than
> two weeks.  I would hope put an end to such a foolish motion before it
> has a chance to go any where.  I have long held the been opinion that
> Children are the victims of the Tobacco industry.  Can you send me what
> you might have?
>
> I am very proud of the fact that Durham has a fairly progressive
> Regional Smoking bylaw, but since the province is now finally going to
> introduce strong provincial legislation, which is why this motion came
> forward now.  Having Ontario Smoke-Free is the Ontario Government goal.
> Part of the government's comprehensive tobacco control strategy,
> includes: a goal to protect people from second-hand smoke through a
> proposed smoking ban in all workplaces and public places, and
> initiatives to prevent young people from starting to smoke.  That does
> not mean blaming the victims.
>
> I may need to get to the local youth organizations in Durham Region
> before this gets to far.  I would  like encourage any clickers involved
> in Public Health that have any connection to Durham Region to help send
> a strong message to the Council that this is not the appropriate way to
> help protect our children against the Tobacco Industry.  That if youth
> are going to be the target of any legislation that it must be to protect
> them not criminalize them.  If you have a connection to any Youth
> programs in Durham that don't want to see their clients being unfairly
> criminalized please offer them support to stop this initiative.
>
> As a past Chair of the Health and Social Services, I want you to know
> that this motion should never have been forwarded to Council without
> having either staff report or a public discussion.  Since this motion is
> going to Durham Regional Council as a position to be endorsed on March
> 2nd, the timelines are very short.  If you can email me anything that
> would be great or better still if you wish to write to Durham Regional
> Council directly that would be best sent attention before the end of this
> week:
>
> Patrica Madill, Clerk
> 605 Rossland Road
> Box # 623
> Whitby, ON
> L1N 6A3
>
> 905 668-1567
>
> <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
> Larry O'Connor, Durham Regional Councillor
> Brock Township
> 705 357-3011hm
> 905 644-5777wk
> 705 432-3487fx
> P.O.Box 354
> Sunderland, ON
> L0C 1H0
>
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