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Bill
A-125
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New Jersey has a law that says tobacco products can't
be sold to anyone under the age of 18. This law isn't being enforced. It
can't be as long as there are tobacco vending machines and self-service
displays.
From the time we started our research we've known that vending machines
are a sure way for kids to get cigarettes, and we've been working to get
rid of them.
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In February 1997, we appeared before the New Jersey State
Assembly. Assemblywoman Nilsa Cruz Perez and Assemblyman Roberts presented
us with a resolution that was drafted in our honor. We were excited to receive
this recognition, but we were even more excited to have the chance to tell
our legislators what we thought needed to be done in order to protect children
from the dangers of smoking. We had been scheduled to appear three times
before we actually got to go, because we kept getting bumped off of the
agenda. So, by the time we did appear, we were more than anxious, but we
came home from our state's capital feeling disappointed. We had waited for
such a long time to be heard at the state level, only to have most of our
state representatives not listen to us! While a member in our group tried
to tell them our ideas, our legislators stood in groups, some with their
backs to us, speaking to each other. They never came to order, so they didn't
hear what we had to say! We felt sad for a Boy Scout group that came to
the floor just after us, because none of our state officials were listening
as their proclamation was being read either! We learned a lot about state
politics that day!
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However, Assemblywoman Nilsa Cruz Perez and Assemblyman Roberts did listen
to us! They introduced Assembly Bill A 2570 which was written by Senator
Sinagra. If it had been passed into law, cigarette vending machines would
have been banned from New Jersey. Unfortunately, it never made it out
of committee.
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Assemblywoman Perez continues to work with us. She reintroduced
Bill 2570 as Bill 344, later as Bill 2197 for the 1998-1999 legislative
session, and again in Jan. 2,000 as Bill # 390. The new Bill for 2002 is
Bill A-125. (We hope this will be the year it gets passed!) It's currently
before the Health Committee. We have written letters to the Health Committee
in the past and have gotten little response to our request to post the bills.
Won't you please help us? Even if you don't live in NJ, write a letter to
our Assembly Health Committee. Tell them how important this bill is to the
welfare of children. Explain that the law which forbids minors to be sold
tobacco products can not be enforced as long as there are cigarette vending
machines. Tell them that self service displays also make it easy for kids
to get tobacco products. Go to this
Health Committee link for the members names and addresses.
For more information on anti-tobacco bills in the state of New Jersey go
to the NJ State
Legislature page. |
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