There’s no way to sugar coat this: Smoking remains the No. 1 cause of preventable death. Smoking also causes roughly 28% of the state’s cancer deaths. Big Tobacco uses flavors like candy, fruit, mint and menthol to hook new generations to their deadly products.
Saving lives from cancer is personal for me. I’m also a grandmother, committed to protecting my grandkids from a lifetime addiction.
I’m excited about recent efforts to prohibit the sale of flavored e-cigarettes with the proposed permanent rule. In Montana, roughly 30% of high school students and 16% of middle schoolers currently use e-cigarettes. We need bold action to curb this youth epidemic.
Stopping the sale of flavored e-cigarettes is a good start. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network is working to rid store shelves of all flavored tobacco products and we encourage Kalispell leaders to take action. That means also ending the sale of menthol cigarettes, flavored cigars, hookah and chewing tobacco. Kids will turn to whatever tobacco product is available.
Don’t let the tobacco industry continue targeting Montana’s kids!
Jo Page
Kalispell