Advocacy Project: Letter to a Public Official

The Honorable Senator Amy Klobuchar
United States Senate
302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-2304

Dear Senator Klobuchar,

I am writing as a citizen to encourage you to vote yes to the H.R. 1432 bill.  The purpose of this bill is to reduce youth usage of tobacco products, to enhance State efforts to eliminate retail sales of tobacco products to minors, and for other purposes. This bill is also known as the "Stop Adolescent Smoking Without Excessive Bureaucracy Act of 2009".  This act would strengthen state laws relating to tobacco product sales to individuals under the age of 18 and would enforce public disclosure of ingredients on tobacco products.

Currently I am a 21 year old student at the University of Minnesota Duluth working towards my degree in Community Health.  I know that minors don't always have the necessary information to make healthy decisions like that of not smoking, especially when the tobacco industry targets that age group with different marketing campaigns.  Also, many minors who begin smoking think that they can stop at will, which is something that thousands of people fail at each year due to the extremely addictive nature of the drug.

Strengthening the laws related to tobacco product sales to minors would benefit many parties. Perhaps it could decrease the 49,000 deaths that happen each year due to second hand smoke (CDC).  Maybe it would decrease the $96 billion in health care spending attributed to smoking (CDC).  Lastly, perhaps it would decrease the number of minors who become the next life-long users and some of the tobacco industries loyalist customers.

Please support this important piece of legislature and make a difference in the lives of the citizens you serve.

I would also appreciate if you would let me know of the decision you make and the action you take regarding this bill.

Sincerely,



Abby Stocker
(contact information)