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CADIZ -- Harrison County officials are considering ways to make it harder for youths to buy tobacco products, including the possibility of making the county "Tobacco 21."
Carroll County Health District Community Health Educator Caitlin Mathews met with Harrison County Commissioners earlier this month. She asked commissioners to create an ordinance to make it harder for teens to buy tobacco products. Mathews told the officials she believes it is too easy for teen in the area to buy tobacco products -- in fact, she believes that retailers and suppliers are targeting underage individuals.
"All these tobacco products are flavored -- birthday cake, fruit flavors and many more that would attract young people," Mathews said. "One store I went into had a tobacco sign 3 feet off the ground. Who is that for? Not an adult, that is at a height for a child to see."
Mathews said most retailers are paid by tobacco companies to advertise their products, up to $1,000 per month per sign. Mathews also said some of those retailers recently sold tobacco products to a minor.
With the help of the Harrison County Sheriff's Department, officials sent a female juvenile into several tobacco retailers to try and purchase tobacco products. Mathews said seven out of the 21 retailers in the county sold tobacco products to the minor. One retailer wouldn't sell to the girl but told her where she could go where she wouldn't get carded.
"What we're really trying to do is increase education of what we can put in place, an ordinance, a policy, that can decrease the youth accessibility to these types of products," Mathews said.
In Ohio there are 14 counties that have "Tobacco 21" ordinances in at least some of their communities. Cities such as Columbus, Cleveland and Akron are among the "Tobacco 21" areas in the state.
Harrison County Commissioner Don Bethel said he thought what Mathews was trying to accomplish was a good idea. He added, though, that he didn't feel raising the purchase age to 21 was the right way to do it. He also said he fully understands the struggle, declaring that he started using smokeless tobacco when he was 18.
"I get it. Kids turn 18, head off on their own, and you feel all that pressure and you turn to tobacco. It's not good," Bethel said. "But I don't feel right raising it to 21 when we ask them at 18 to go fight in a foreign country for our freedom."
Mathews said raising the age limit isn't the only solution. She said a reduction in advertising or banning of flavored products could also be a deterrent for underage purchase and consumption of tobacco. She added that not allowing the sale of any tobacco close to a school or playground and making different areas tobacco free could also cause a decrease in underage use.
No new policies or ordinances were created, but the commissioners did agree to look into Mathews' research and discuss possible actions.