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CLK-Kimberly Daniel <br />From: Julia Selezneva <jselez@gmail.com> <br />Sent: Monday, March 09, 2020 11:34 AM <br />To: GRP -City Council <br />Subject: Regarding City Council meeting for prohibiting sale of flavored tobacco products <br />Hello, <br />I saw the advertisement about this upcoming meeting and am unable to attend, but wanted to email to have my <br />concerns heard. <br />I am particularly worried about the sale of flavored tobacco products in our city and am in high support of <br />banning their sale. As a pediatrician, I have seen first hand, how exciting it is for teenagers to try these products <br />- and how addicting it is to their young brains. Tobacco companies KNOW based on years of research and <br />experience, if you are able to addict a young child in their teenage years, the addiction will be strong, and they <br />will end up likely with a life-long customer. I speak about this also from experience of having close family <br />members begin smoking when they were 13-14 and struggle quitting their entire lives despite the pleas and <br />begging from family members and their own children. It is just too hard to quit. Teenagers lack the executive <br />function capability to really think "this is bad and addictive, hence I should not do it". They are not mini -adults. <br />This takes time to practice and develop, and teenage years are all about experimenting and making mistakes <br />(which tobacco companies are ALSO aware of). But this is just too addictive for them to experiment with. <br />Instead, these cool, fun, flavorful products are easy to obtain (say, an 18 year old cousin or senior high school <br />friend) can obtain it, and 'everyone is doing it', and 'its not that addictive, I can stop any time". <br />I strongly urge you to consider banning the sale of these products in our city. <br />Thank you. <br />Sincerely, <br />Julia Selezneva <br />Pediatrician <br />