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For Immediate Release
Date: February 7, 2017
Contact: Leslie Piotrowski
(847) 377-8055
Hannah Goering
(847) 377-8099
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Lake County,
Illinois –Last December, the Deerfield Board of Trustees approved an ordinance
to raise the minimum legal purchase, sale, and possession age for tobacco
products, including electronic cigarettes, from 18 to 21 years of age. The
ordinance went into effect on January 1, 2017.
“We
care deeply about our youth. Statistics have shown that the earlier one begins
to smoke, the quicker and stronger the addiction,” stated Mayor Harriet
Rosenthal. “We will do whatever we can to help our kids make healthy choices.”
“The
Lake County Health Department commends the Village of Deerfield for leading
efforts in prevention and public health. Raising the minimum legal purchase,
sales and possession age of tobacco products to 21 years of age is a profound
step in helping to shape positive community norms surrounding youth substance
use and decreasing youth use of tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes,”
said Mark Pfister, Executive Director for the Lake County Health Department and
Community Health Center. “Delaying onset of smoking prevents long term smokers.
Ninety-five percent of adult smokers began before the age of 21. Thank you for
once again being a leader in Lake County and setting a positive example for
other communities in Lake County to follow.”
Deerfield
is the second community in Lake County and the sixth in Illinois to pass a
Tobacco 21 ordinance. The other Illinois municipalities include:
Evanston, Chicago, Oak Park, Naperville, and
Highland Park. Tobacco 21 laws are moving across the nation with 200
localities in 14 states already passing Tobacco 21 legislation. Two
states, California and Hawaii, passed statewide legislation in 2016.
For
technical assistance on tobacco policy development or for more information
about tobacco sales restrictions and regulations, please contact the Lake County
Health Department and Community Health Center's Tobacco Free Lake County
program at 847.377.8090 or Danielle Ryan, Community Health Specialist, at: dryan@lakecountyil.gov.
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