Bed-Stuy 17-Year-Old: 'We Don't Need More Tobacco Shops'

I’m 17 years old. I have lived in Bed-Stuy my entire life.

Taking a walk in my neighborhood on an average day, I can count up to 15 tobacco retailers.

My neighborhood is surrounded by some elementary schools and middle schools, with a few basketball courts and parks — but tobacco retailers outnumber these places by far.

We need to wake up and see the harms of cigarette and tobacco sales in our communities.

This summer, I became a student fellow at the NYC Smoke-Free coalition, a program of the Public Health Solutions organization. I became a student fellow because I knew that in order to make an effective change in my environment and empower my friends, I needed to educate myself.

One of the problems I’ve noticed within my community is the lack of education. We all know smoking is not good for us, but we don’t understand the effects of heavy tobacco marketing. Many of us don’t know that tobacco companies are recruiting students to become “replacement smokers” for the thousands of tobacco users who die each year from tobacco-related illnesses.

There are over 50 tobacco retailers in Bed-Stuy.

Yes, 50. That’s more than the number of recreation centers and educational facilities combined.

More and more children are being exposed to tobacco products in these shops. Research shows that 90 percent of smokers begin before the age of 19. Just think about the message we are sending to our youth about smoking: We’re saying that tobacco is fine and is needed in our community.

Our kids and community members need help. We need fewer tobacco shops and more activities for my peers and I to enjoy.

If our youth is truly the future of tomorrow, how can we expect them to grow in neighborhoods that are filled with things that can harm them on every block?

According to recent public opinion surveys by the NYC Department of Health, 65 percent of New Yorkers favor prohibiting the sale of tobacco products near schools, and 61 percent support keeping tobacco out of view from customers.

The support is there.

As a community, we have the power to change this. Let’s work together to denormalize tobacco. We don’t need more tobacco shops. Instead, let’s invest in businesses that help build healthy lifestyles.

Please join me to speak up at NYCSmokeFree.org.