Onondaga County Citizens Support Tobacco 19 Override- Tuesday October 7th, 2008

      He says his first cigarette came from an 18-year-old high school friend and now he struggles to quit smoking. Matt Reilly, 17, a Marcellus High School senior, said he came to the Onondaga County Legislature's meeting this afternoon to support the override of County Executive Joanie Mahoney's "Tobacco 19" veto, an effort to keep cigarettes away from high school students. "It's a pretty good-sized population in upper classes that smoke," Reilly said. 

The legislation would prohibit the local sale of tobacco to people under 19 with the exception of military persons, was initially vetoed last year by then-County Executive Nick Pirro. Last month, Mahoney vetoed the legislation again. Today, the legislature failed to reach the two-thirds majority needed to enact the override, voting for it 11-8.

In support of the override, Policy Coordinator for Onondaga Cortland Madison BOCES Nancy St. Onge addressed the legislators today. "Anything we can do to prevent someone from starting to smoke is a win," said St. Onge, who carried an "I Love Smokefree NY" tote bag.

While St. Onge may see "Tobacco 19" as a way to decrease smoking in high schools, Onondaga County Legislator James M. Rhinehart, R- Skaneateles, disagrees. "At eighteen you're either able to make that decision or not," Rhinehart said. Rhinehart voted against the override because of the included military waiver. 

Co-sponsor Robert Warner, R-Baldwinsville, said he'll try again though he's not sure when. But the influence the legislation has on rising Medicare costs makes it an important issue said Warner. "The financial impact of this almost dictates the way it will go.”