YumaSun.com Estados Unidos, 25 de julio de 2012

Youths take on tobacco in San Luis, Ariz.

July 29, 2012 4:08 PMBY CESAR NEYOY

BAJO EL SOL

SAN LUIS, Ariz. — Michelle Meza has seen her grandparents die from smoking-related causes. She's seen youths her age take up cigarettes.

And that's been enough for her to join an anti-tobacco campaign she hopes will lead to a ban on smoking in public places in San Luis.

Meza, 16, is one of the leaders of the South Yuma County Youth Anti-Tobacco Coalition, which recently adopted a novel strategy designed not only to fight cigarettes but spruce up city parks.

She and 11 others in the coalition have been collecting cigarettes butts in parks in San Luis, and plan to turn them over to the city council as part of the group's appeal to the city to ban smoking in public places.

The cleanup effort has been limited so far to Joe Orduno and Amistad parks, she said, but will soon be extended to all other parks and athletic facilities in the city.

“In the areas where children play is where we find the most cigarette butts, and supposedly these are family areas and are dedicated to athletics,” she said.

Among teens in their age range, say Meza and fellow coalition member Esahai Esparza, the risk of taking up smoking is high, with some starting as early as 14 years old.

“Many of them begin smoking out of curiosity, and they don't quit,” said Esparza. “They don't know the harm they are doing to themselves, or they don't care. They think nothing is going to happen to them if all they smoke is one cigarette a day.”

In their upcoming presentation to the council, the coalition members won't rely solely on the collected cigarette butts to make their case. They will present the findings of a poll they plan to take among adults and teens of their smoking habits, plus petition signatures from San Luis residents seeking a ban on smoking in city's parks and athletic facilities.

“We hope they listen to us, support us and pay attention to us, the young people, because we have the right to speak for our community.”

The coalition was established as part of a tobacco prevention program started by Campesinos Sin Fronteras, a San Luis-based nonprofit organization.

“The idea is to show how we are dirtying and contaminating green areas in San Luis where our children gather to exercise or have fun in a healthy manner,” said Luis Vasquez, coordinator of the tobacco program for Campesinos.

“We want to send a message that our parks should be smoke-free. The voice of that message is our youth.”

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