I am now 75 years old but many years ago, I smoked for 10 years when I was young. Back then it was cool and most of us smoked. We didn’t know then what we absolutely know now.
Approximately 96% of smokers began smoking before the age of 21 as I did. We now know that nicotine exposure during childhood and adolescence actually rewires brain development, predisposing young people to further addiction and disrupting learning, memory development, and attention for the short and long term
Sadly, Colorado has the highest rate of youth use of e-cigarettes in the nation and Pitkin County schools have some of the highest use rates in the state
Cigarette manufacturers distorted facts and lied to the public about the dangers that they knew full well. Eventually, they paid out over $245 billion in settlements as a result of their insidious efforts. These efforts are now focused almost entirely on our children.
We all need to do what we can, where we can to limit this terrible habit. This is a medically dangerous and socially repugnant activity with the greatest consequences to our children and eventually society at large. We need to simply do what we can to discourage smoking, period.
As a citizen of Aspen and a member of the Pitkin County Board of Health, I sincerely urge everyone on Nov. 5, to vote “yes” on tobacco sales tax, ballot Question 1A.
Brent Miller
Aspen