No butts about it
Sales of cigarettes to minors are down
By Andrea Gregory

   Cigarette sales to minors have drastically decreased over the last decade. Despite hefty budget cuts to government anti-smoking organizations and the long standing myth that cigarette smoking is cool, the Five City Tobacco Control program based in Somerville has managed to beat the odds.
    Shortly after Five City Tobacco Control was established sting operations went into effect. Minors, working undercover for the organization, are paid a small stipend for trying to buy a pack of smokes or other tobacco products at local businesses. They are all under the age of 18 and none of the smoke, according to Cesar Pungirum, director of the Five City Tobacco Control.
    ‚ÄúMore than 80 percent sold tobacco to minors. People were selling to minors left and right even though the law exists,‚Äù he said. That was in 1993.

     Today, all five of the cities that Pungirum oversees from the Somerville office have made a remarkable recovery from the once worrisome statistics. Less than 5 percent of stores throughout his district are caught making these unlawful transactions. In Somerville, the most recent figures show only 1.7 percent of undercover minors is successfully able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products in this city.
     ‚ÄúWe have come a long way,‚Äù said Pungirum. ‚ÄúThat is a tremendous success for that program. In all these five cities we have had tremendous success. It‚Äôs a success all around.‚Äù
     The program has been around since the early 90s. It was formed with clear goals in mind ‚Äì to reduce second hand smoke exposure and prevent tobacco sales to minors. Since Massachusetts is primarily smoke free with a statewide smoking ban in effect, operations have shifted with a strong focus on making sure tobacco products stay out of the hands of minors.
      But even with a strong mission, Pungirum‚Äôs program and others like it throughout the commonwealth have had to deal with major budget cuts. Pungirum used to have a $500,000 budget. Now, he has $100,000 to fight the war on smoking. He said many municipalities have seen a rise in tobacco sales to minors due to lost funding. At the same time the state has imposed a collective goal get those numbers down.
      ‚ÄúToday, the state is shooting for a 10 percent (score) of sales to minors,‚Äù said Pungirum. ‚ÄúRight now it is roughly 18 percent.‚Äù
     However, the five cities that fall under Pungirum‚Äôs jurisdiction are already ahead of the game. Somerville, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett and revere fall under his jurisdiction. In Revere, it is illegal for minors to possess cigarettes and other tobacco products. Though he does not think Somerville or other cities will adopt this law, it could be one of the factors deterring kids from smoking.
      Pungirum said he believes his program has been able to stay so affective even during tight budget times is due to the reputation it established early on as an agency with authority. There are steep fine of up to $300 and the possibility of suspending tabacco sales for repeat offender. Pungirum said he has a track record of winning hearings, and it has sent a massage to the local society.
      ‚ÄúThere‚Äôs no magic formula,‚Äù he said.
       But a few years ago, Pungirum came up with another way to send messages ‚Äì postcards. Every month all of the tobacco sellers receive a little note in the mail, reminding them to follow the rules and reminding them that someone is watching to see if they screw up. It is a low-cost tool and seems to be working, he said.
       ‚ÄúWe send them every month. They are reminders that psychologically creates an image that we are always out there,‚Äù he said. ‚ÄúIt keeps people on their toes.‚Äù
        However, Pungirum warns that the compliance checks are only one piece of the puzzle and do not necessarily indicate a drop in the number of kids smoking.
       ‚ÄúThey get it from different sources,‚Äù he said. ‚ÄúThat‚Äôs a problem that has been presented. That‚Äôs the next front.‚Äù
        The Somerville Health Department released the results of an at risk behavior survey given to middle school students a few months ago. The results show some kids are smoking. Out of the students who participated in the survey, 7 percent admitted to being regular smokers ‚Äì having smoked within 30 days.
        Though the percentage does not seem outrageously high, it is slightly above the national average. Noreen Burke, Somerville health director, said this is an important time to reach these kids, warn them and help them kick the habit while it is still in an infant stage.
        ‚ÄúBe very upfront about the health risks. It doesn‚Äôt make you sexy or attractive or more likable,‚Äù she said, adding parents need to reinforce these messages. ‚ÄúI think you really have to be available for your kids. Young people are so inundated with advertising. The middle school years are critical years. It‚Äôs kind of that critical cross over. They are known as the risky years.‚Äù