Solano County youth join effort to ban flavorings from tobacco products

Local youth are taking action together with the Solano County Tobacco Education Coalition (TEC) and the Tobacco Prevention and Education Program (TPEP) in a campaign to urge the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ban flavorings -- including menthol -- from tobacco products. "The campaign's goal is to prevent future generations from becoming hooked on tobacco by eliminating enticing flavored 'starter' products," said TPEP Project Director Felicia Flores-Workman in press release.

"Tobacco companies have long known of menthol's ability to mask harshness associated with cigarette smoke, increase the ease of smoking and provide a cooling sensation that appeals to many smokers, particularly new smokers," according to a report from the U.S. Surgeon General. "Tobacco industry documents reveal that they formulate and market menthol cigarettes to appeal to youth and minority groups," Flores-Workman added. An estimated 44 percent of children age 12 to 17 who smoke report smoking menthols.

Additionally, 79 percent of African-American, 51 percent of Asian American and Hispanic, and 37 percent of Caucasian high school-aged smokers use menthol cigarettes, Flores-Workman said. "In Solano County, one in five deaths is smoking-related," Flores-Workman said. "It is imperative to eliminate menthol and all flavorings from all tobacco products with no exceptions."

 In 2011, Solano County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution supporting FDA regulation of menthol in tobacco products. TPEP recruited students from 4-H, Vallejo Fighting Back's YC3, Fairfield and Armijo High Schools and Touro University to complete an observational survey at businesses selling tobacco. The survey of 88 tobacco retailers found that approximately half of the products were menthol cigarettes. All but one tobacco retailer sold menthol cigarettes.

 "We were startled by the huge variety and quantity of menthol tobacco products across our county," said Flores-Workman. National tobacco advertising targets African-Americans, resulting in four out of five (82 percent) of African-American smokers using menthol cigarettes, compared with one out of four (25 percent) of white smokers, Flores-Workman said. TPEP sponsored newspaper ads in Vallejo and Fairfield that illustrated menthol's role in the annual death toll of 45,000 African-Americans from smoking-related diseases.

Flores-Workman said studies show that tobacco companies target upon poor and minority communities, pricing menthol cigarettes lower and linking advertising with pop culture such as hip hop music. The Tobacco Education Coalition's FDA resolution subcommittee is organizing teams in Vacaville, Fairfield, Vallejo and Dixon and welcomes new participants, particularly youth. The TEC plans to have signed petitions and resolutions ready when the FDA requests public comment.