Give Up Cigarettes!

Over 20,000 stores in 170 Ukrainian cities were involved last year in the program to prevent selling cigarettes to underage persons, The Day was told at the Public Council on Social Problems of the Young Generation charity organization. This initiative, already three years old, includes a rather interesting experiment, registering all attempts from underage children to buy cigarettes. Unfortunately, so far in most cases, these attempts are successful. However, the public consciousness of trade workers is gradually increasing: while in 2001, only 14% of store managers refused to sell cigarettes to underage children, last year 44% of them said a firm ‘No’. However, these results were registered at 265 legal trade points, while nobody can estimate the “generosity” of the numerous illegal traders selling smuggled cigarettes on the streets. So who is to blame for the teenagers’ smoking? A poll conducted by the Public Council among 1000 persons aged 30 to 45 revealed that 31% of those polled consider the state is guilty in selling cigarettes to teenagers, 25% blame trade organizations, and 20% tobacco companies. Interesting that nobody believes smokers themselves or their parents to be guilty in neglecting their health. Recall that it is prohibited by law to sell cigarettes to underage persons. And the right for a healthy way of life is a personal choice for anybody.