When the Smoke Clears...

Dear Editor,

I’ve heard that the city is passing new policies that ban the selling of cigarettes and even smoking in people’s own apartments. And now they’re taking JUUL’s off the shelves leaving Bay Area residents hooked on smoking with nothing and no place to smoke. What are these people supposed to do? I know smoking is harmful to your health, but I also know how the tobacco industry has been targeting poor communities of color for years, leaving them addicted to their now unavailable products. There are places to help people quit, but since they don’t have the funding of the big tobacco, they go unused. I wish more people knew about free resources like kickitca.org. It’s free and helps people combat their addictions caused by the predatory tobacco industry by customizing a plan that addresses their own needs and provides a counselor to people to quit smoking and lead healthier lives.

–Caitlin Wallace, Livermore