South Carolina may lose funding

Web posted October 12, 2000

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By Chasiti Kirkland
South Carolina Bureau

COLUMBIA - If South Carolina can't stop teen-agers from smoking, millions of federal dollars owed to the state for tobacco prevention could go up in flames.

At risk is $7 million, said Rick Wade, director of the state Department of Alcohol and Other Drugs. That's 40 percent of an $18 million U.S. grant that pays for treatment and intervention programs across the Palmetto State.

Because South Carolina can't afford to lose that money, the State Law Enforcement Division has been called in to reduce underage tobacco use. Mr. Wade's agency will pay for four agents who will spot-check convenience stores routinely for underage cigarette purchases. First-time offenders will face a minimum fine of $25, plus court costs.

No smoking The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division will try to curb underage tobacco use so the state won't lose federal funding. The agency will pay for four agents to spot-check convenience stores for underage cigarette purchases. First-time offenders will face a minimum fine of $25, plus court costs.

But state officials haven't figured out how to stop teen-agers from buying cigarettes from vending machines.

``Businesses need to card and check the age of young people before they sell cigarettes just like they do alcohol and be vigilant on this,'' SLED Chief Robert Stewart said.

Although federal laws have barred tobacco sales to minors since 1992, South Carolina has forbidden them since 1863. But Mr. Wade says there's a hole in the law that has to be plugged. Teen-agers can't buy tobacco, but it's not illegal for them to use or possess it, he said. Several bills pending in the Legislature could change that, though.

But statistics show young people still are purchasing tobacco on their own despite that longstanding law against it. This year, 18.7 percent of South Carolina's 14- to 17-year-olds successfully bought cigarettes - down from 19.8 the year before.

South Carolina remains among the top 10 states when it comes to rates of tobacco use by adolescents.

``While we're winning the battle, we're losing the war,'' Mr. Wade said. ``There are still far too many of our kids falling victim to the ravages of tobacco addiction.

National numbers are falling, too.

A recent study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that teens didn't light up as much last year as they did through much of the 1990s. Government analysts attributed the drop to prevention programs and the higher cost of cigarettes.

But those same experts claim community efforts are being squashed by advertisements that entice young smokers. Meanwhile, big tobacco companies say they are complying with the 1998 national settlement, in which they agreed not to target teen-agers.

The CDC said 34.8 percent of high school students in 1999 reported that they had smoked in the previous 30 days. That was down from 36.4 percent in 1997. It also was the first overall decline since the government's last study in 1991.

Smoking among high school freshmen also dropped 17 percent.

``That's where we're having the impact,'' said Terry Pechacek, associate director of the Office of Smoking and Health at the CDC. ``It's when they're in that transition period, from having tried a cigarette in the football stands to daily smoking.''

Reach Chasiti Kirkland at (803) 279-6895.

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