The Town of Oyster Bay is proposing a new local law to prohibit the advertisement of tobacco and tobacco-related products within 1,000 feet of locations where it is well established that minors tend to congregate. At the May 22 town board meeting, Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto said the town attorney's office is deciding on the language for the law that will pass muster (the courts). At the meeting they defined the areas where minors tend to congregate as schools, playgrounds and boys and girls clubs. The legislation appears overdue, he said.

They will be joining the towns of Hempstead, North Hempstead, Huntington, the Town of Babylon, New York City, Suffolk County and Glen Cove in restricting tobacco advertising near child venues.

Mr. Venditto introduced Councilwoman Bonnie Eisler and Councilman Leonard Symons to speak on the proposed law, as the point persons for the case.

Ms. Eisler said it came to her attention that the town hadn't addressed the issue, while other municipalities had. She said the statistics from the Center for Disease Control say that adult smoking has increased by 15 percent while high school smoking had increased by 26 percent. The Journal of the American Medical Association, Jan. 28, 2000, reported that cigarette advertising encouraging youth to smoke should be banned. Newsday reported that 12.8 percent of 6 to 8-year-olds use tobacco; 9.2 percent of 11 to 13-year-olds smoke.

"I grew up in an era of anti-smoking; now we are overwhelmed and inundated with advertising," she said.

Ms. Eisler said the supreme court had taken the position that it was a free speech issue but that a recent landmark case said it falls into the category of information that: "You can't yell 'fire' in a theater. Therefore the higher court upheld it."

She said the town needs to pass the law. "We all know the illnesses caused by smoking." What is sad is the way the tobacco industry targets youth through using Joe Camel, and offering flavored and fruity cigarettes to children who are easily influenced," she said.

Leonard Symons said the American Lung Association supports the 1,000 ft. ban on tobacco advertising. While adult smoking has decreased, children smokers under 18 are increasing by 70 percent.

He said the tobacco industry spends $8.2 billion a year on advertising and promotion of products and much of it is spent on hooking children. He said teens are more influenced by advertising than by peer pressure: that they are given cues and messages in a tobacco manipulative campaign.

Marianne Zaharia, director of Education and Advocacy for the American Lung Association of Nassau and Suffolk said the board was going in the right direction with the ban. Today, she said 15 and 16-year-olds are ordering cigarettes through the Internet.

Claire Millman of the Alliance for Smoke Free Air said for minors, tobacco is an illegal substance. The tobacco industry however researches the smoking habits of 5-year-olds. She said her group is horrified by the schemes of the tobacco industry to hook their customers. She said, "Tobacco, when used as advertised, kills!"

Ms. Millman said the industry calls kids "consumers in training," and that they are bombarded actively and subliminally to promote cigarette smoking as a part of life: and it is the number one and three causes of preventable death.

Teens are twice as likely to smoke through the influence of ads than by their peers or parental smoking, she said, adding that tobacco is sold in pharmacies, filling stations, drug stores and supermarkets - even with neon signs. There are tent signs in local malls.

She said Philip Morris announced on March 31, 1981 that between 1975 and 1980 teenage smoking declined and unless they took strong actions they were in trouble market wise. They took action and their campaigns were successful, she said.

Ms. McMillman explained that they see today's teens as tomorrow's customers and that their favorite smokes are Marlboro and Virginia Slims. In their search for customers they are even considering putting honey in the cigarettes, she noted.

Nancy Hall added to the statistics saying high school smoking is the highest it has been since 1981. She also stated that ninety percent of adults smoked before they were legally old enough to do so and the younger you start the more likely you will be addicted. Tobacco is a gateway drug, she explained, and if you don't smoke by 18 you might not smoke. But now the tobacco industry is beginning to advertise in colleges, she said, adding that the students should "Not be duped into an early death."

In the Nov., Dec., 2000 North District PTA Newsletter, editor Mrs. Esaline said the country should support the laws against drug and alcohol addiction.

Ms. Hall added, they support the town's proposed legislation.

She urged they consider a clean indoor environment. "In Ottowa, Canada, the city council declared that clean air is a public health issue and therefore smoking can only be done outdoors or in homes."

Today, she said, SADD means Students Against Destructive Decisions, it had previously been Students Against Drunk Driving.

Rich Couch of the American Cancer Society, the regional advocacy director of the Long Island Council congratulated the town for their proposed law. He said, "Big tobacco's purpose is to entice children to smoke. Children are most sensitive to advertising campaigns. They encourage children to break the law by endorsing their stealing tobacco products by shoplifting."

He said retailers are reimbursed for shoplifted cigarettes. The industry reimburses the retailers as a cost of doing business.

He said a child can be addicted after one pack of cigarettes and that they are more addictive than heroin. Advertising gets them to buy their first pack only, from then on the addiction makes them find the next pack, he said.

He added, if used, cigarettes will kill you, and added that tobacco is the number one cause of needless death. He said the cost of court settlements are a pittance in the $100 billion market. "Philip Morris is still a good deal on Wall Street," he said.

A recent NPR radio program reported that about 16 cents of each pack is profit, the rest of the cost goes to attorneys, advertising, marketing, taxes and court settlements.