Today more than 5,000 children in Michigan will try their first cigarette. Every day more than 2,000 additional children become regular daily smokers. That’s more than 750,000 new underage smokers each year. About one third of those children will eventually die prematurely from a smoking-related disease.
The No Cigs for our Kids campaign is a partnership of Allegan, Berrien, Muskegon and Ottawa Counties to eliminate sales of tobacco to youth under the age of 18. The campaign includes compliance checks conducted by law enforcement officers, vendor education, and community mobilization.
Since 2004, the No Cigs For Our Kids Campaign has demonstrated a statistically significant change in the following areas: fewer youth inspectors are able to purchase tobacco, clerks are more likely to ask for identification, and stores are more likely to place tobacco products behind the counter and to post the Youth Tobacco Act signage.
For more information about the campaign in your area:
Allegan County: Heidi Bertschinger, 269-673-6617 x 2714
Berrien County: Shannon Larry-burton, 269-297-5692
Muskegon County: Jenna Blamer, 231-724-1205
Ottawa County: Stephanie VanDerKooi, 616-393-5776