SCALERA/SCHAER/CONAWAY BILL TO BAN TEEN SMOKING IN OUTDOOR PUBLIC PLACES CLEARS ASSEMBLY PANEL

SCALERA/SCHAER/CONAWAY BILL TO BAN TEEN SMOKING IN OUTDOOR PUBLIC PLACES CLEARS ASSEMBLY PANEL

Measure Would Make It Crime For Teens to Smoke, Carry Lighted Tobacco

(TRENTON) - Legislation Assemblyman Fred Scalera, Gary Schaer and Herb Conaway, M.D. sponsored that would prohibit all teens from smoking or carrying a lighted tobacco product in outdoor public areas was released by an Assembly committee today.

"The best way to keep teens tobacco-free is to ensure that they never light or smoke cigarettes or any other tobacco product," said Scalera (D-Essex/Passaic).  "Preventing youth from smoking in public can do more than just protect their health and safety today - it potentially could save their lives down the road." 

The youth anti-smoking bill was inspired by a lecture on the legislative process Scalera delivered to an Advanced Placement class at Nutley High School, where he challenged students to propose their own public policy.  The students submitted the anti-smoking measure as part of their class project.  The class is actively supporting the bill in hopes of seeing it become law before their June high school graduation.

The bill (ACS-2177/1870) would ban individuals under 19 years of age from smoking or carrying a lighted cigarette or other type of tobacco product that can be smoked in any outdoor place accessible to the public.  The bill would prohibit youth smoking in outdoor places including: streets, sidewalks, bridges, parks, recreation and shopping areas, and parking lots.

According to the state Department of Health and Senior Services, one-third of New Jersey high school students smoke at least occasionally.  The American Cancer Society has found that 90 percent of all smokers begin using tobacco before age 18.  The Citizens' Commission to Protect the Truth -- which supports the national youth anti-smoking campaign, TRUTH -- estimates that every day 1,500 youth become habitual smokers.  Every 6.5 seconds someone in the world dies from a smoking-related disease; in the U.S. alone over 400,000 people die a tobacco-related death every year - approximately 1,200 every day. 

"The statistics point to an alarming trend that must be stopped short, before our kids lock themselves into a costly and deadly lifetime habit," said Schaer (D-Bergen/Passaic).  "We have a responsibility to do all that we can to keep New Jersey youth smoke-free."

First-time violators of the legislation would be issued a written warning by a law enforcement officer that could include parental notification.  Second-time violators face up to 25 hours community service and mandatory participation in a court designated educational program on the dangers of smoking.  Third and subsequent violations would be punishable by up to 50 hours of community service and a $75 civil penalty.

"Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death and disease," said Conaway (D-Burlington), a practicing physician and chairman of the Assembly Health and Senior Services panel.  "Without preventative action, more teens will eventually die from smoking than will die from AIDS, automobile accidents, drug use, homicide, and suicide combined."  

The Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee released the measure 11-0.  It now heads to the Assembly Speaker, who decides if and when to post it for a floor vote. As of 2006, tobacco

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