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Pierre,
January 14, 2008 — Formed with the purpose of reducing the
devastating human and financial toll of tobacco in our state, the
South Dakota Tobacco Free Kids Network marks its 10th
anniversary this month. During this decade, the Network has worked
to help South Dakotans quit smoking, prevent our children from
starting to use tobacco and provide education about the dangers of
tobacco use through effective public policy changes.
First established
in 1998 the Network has grown from 18 statewide member organizations
to 50 organizational members in 2008, showing the support to reduce
the impact of tobacco use in South Dakota continues to grow stronger
every year in South Dakota.
“Our anniversary
and our growing support from additional organizational partners are
exciting landmarks for the South Dakota Tobacco-Free Kids Network,
and more importantly, for the people of South Dakota,” says Dr.
Allen E. Nord, MD, Chairman of the Network. “Our continued growth
shows South Dakotans want to continue to move forward with tobacco
control policies that save money and save lives.”
Some of the most
significant achievements of the Network to date include supporting
policy efforts for the implementation and state funding of a
comprehensive tobacco control and prevention program, passing South
Dakota’s clean indoor air law making most workplaces smoke free in
2002, and spearheading the ballot initiative for a new $1/per pack
cigarette tax increase with $5 million dollars dedicated to tobacco
prevention and cessation programs.
“We have seen
considerable progress made in the effort to reduce tobacco use,
especially among our children as a result of the Network’s efforts,”
says Jennifer Stalley, Project Director for the Network. “For
example, since 1999, the percentage of youth who smoke in South
Dakota has declined from 44 percent to just a little more than 28
percent today. That’s a big step, but there is still work to be
done.” Stalley adds that cigarettes alone kill more than 1,100
South Dakotans each year and continued work at reducing exposure to
secondhand smoke and increasing prevention and cessation are key to
reducing those numbers.
One of the ways
to continue to reduce the impact of tobacco is to increase the
number of smoke free places in South Dakota. According to Dr. Nord,
“The scientific facts are no longer in dispute – there is no safe
level of exposure to secondhand smoke and we need to ensure that all
of our citizens are protected from the dangers of this exposure when
they are earning a living or in public places.” The Network will
support legislation in the 2008 South Dakota Legislative Session to
provide a local option for communities to regulate tobacco beyond
the minimum standards set by the state legislature.
“There are two
ways to increase the number of smoke free places in South Dakota:
have the legislature remove the exemptions to the current state law
or have the legislature yield its exclusive authority to regulate
tobacco and provide the option for local communities to do more if
they choose,” says Stalley. “Last year this legislature indicated
an unwillingness to act on the issue of increasing smoke free places
at the state level, so the Network will be working hard to provide
authority for those communities that will.”
The South Dakota Tobacco-Free Kids
Network is a statewide alliance of health, medical, educational,
parent, youth, law enforcement and other civic organizations
advocating for laws, policies and funding of effective programs that
will result in significant reductions in tobacco use and addiction,
especially among children and high-risk groups.
Click here to view Member
Organizations. |
