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Smith wants to limit tobacco sale outlets

A Buffalo councilman wants to clamp down on the sale of tobacco products within city limits.

Masten Council Member Demone Smith claims that the number of smokers is higher in Buffalo than elsewhere in the state, “in part because of the predatory marketing practices of the tobacco industry,” whose advertisements often target children. He proposes limiting “the number of licensed tobacco selling outlets” allowed to operate in the city.

The resolution was unwrapped Thursday during the opening of “Your Cancer and Drug Store,” a Buffalo Museum of Science exhibit that mocks cigarette makers. The event coincided with the 34th Great American Smokeout, the American Cancer Society’s annual effort to discourage tobacco use.

In addition to restricting licenses, Smith’s proposed local law would require that city tobacco retailers post “visible health warnings and information about cessation services at the point of sale”; all tobacco ads be “in black lettering on white paper,” presumably to mute the message; and tobacco products “not be visibly displayed outside of the store and have limited visibility inside of the store.”

Smith did not say how many licenses he believes should be granted to tobacco retailers.

The proposal said tobacco use kills more than 25,000 New Yorkers every year, 21,000 New York State children take up smoking annually, and the tobacco industry spends $429 million on marketing yearly in this state alone.

Smith’s initiative was applauded by K. Michael Cummings, chairman of the department of health behavior at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

“Cigarette marketing in convenience stores, gas stations and drugstores gives the illusion that smokers are sophisticated, sexy and healthy when the reality is very different,” Cummings said. “We hope this exhibit will encourage local stores that sell tobacco to clean up their act.”

Exhibit organizers recognized a number of area retailers who have stopped selling tobacco in their stores: Black Rock Pharmacy, Brighton-Eggert Pharmacy, Budwey’s Supermarkets, Dash’s Markets, Forster’s Leader Pharmacy, two Jubilee Food stores, Market in the Square and Wegmans food markets.

“Your Cancer and Drug Store” is the brainchild of Dr. Alan Blum, a professor of family medicine at the University of Alabama and leading antismoking crusader who assembled the exhibit from cigarette advertising and promotional materials he has collected over many years. Roswell Park Cancer Institute is sponsoring the exhibit, which continues through Nov. 29, with the Erie- Niagara Tobacco-Free Coalition, American Cancer Society, Museum of Science, Cessation Center North and Erie County Department of Health.