Centralia Middle School students ask council for fewer advertisements for alcohol, tobacco, and other substances
A group of Centralia Middle School students is concerned about how ever-present advertising for tobacco and alcohol products might affect them and their peers. Ten students from the Centralia Middle School Prevention Club visited the Centralia City Council Tuesday to discuss the impacts of advertising for nicotine products and other addictive or harmful substances.
The presentation from the students amounted to a call to action for the five present Centralia city councilors to help curb prevalent advertising for these products.
To start the presentation, the students pointed out that current Washington state Liquor and Cannabis Board rules give local governments the job of regulating signs and advertising around cannabis stores. Additionally, the state does not have any regulations on advertising for vapes and e-cigarettes. Understanding the state of advertising regulations, the students asked the council to take action and “balance the rights of local stores to advertise with the importance of substance use prevention.”
“Seeing alcohol, tobacco and other drug advertising everywhere normalizes substance use, giving the impression that everyone does it,” said one student.