Several health agencies in Sitka are organizing a campaign to raise the legal age of tobacco sales to 21. Eric Brodell, the Western Regional Director for Preventing Tobacco Addiction Foundation, said there’s a correlation between raising the sales ago and lowered tobacco use among teenagers. “This is about distancing social circles – getting tobacco out of high schools and giving one more barrier to access.”
Brodell was joined by Sitka Community Hospital’s Doug Osborne, Director of Health Promotion, SEARHC’s Martha Pearson, Health Promotion Director, and Amanda Roberts, Tobacco Health Educator at SEARHC. The three talk about the marketing of e-cigarettes towards youth, breaking tobacco addiction, and a recent survey polling Sitkans for their thoughts. Pearson said 71.5% of those surveyed agreed the tobacco sales age should be raised.
