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EXHIBIT B PAF _'+Ab6- 16 <br /> RES-2015-036 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESCIND <br /> PREEMPTION OF TOBACCO REGULATION, INCLUDING ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES, AND <br /> THEREFORE RESTORE LOCAL CONTROL OVER TOBACCO POLICIES <br /> WHEREAS, the health consequences of smoking are staggering, and there is irrefutable evidence <br /> that tobacco use causes cancer, respiratory and cardiac diseases, infertility, negative birth <br /> outcomes, irritations to the eyes, nose and throat (U.S. Department of Health and Human <br /> Services, 2014); and <br /> WHEREAS, the economic losses in health care expenditures are equally important and the use of <br /> tobacco products cost the U.S. as much as $170 billion in health care expenditures each year (Xu, <br /> Bishop, Kennedy, Simpson, & Pechacek, 2014); and <br /> WHEREAS, nearly 90% of all smokers begin smoking before the age of eighteen (Centers for <br /> Disease Control and Prevention , 2014); and <br /> WHEREAS, in North Carolina, I in every 10 middle school students is a current tobacco user and <br /> 3 in every 10 high school students is a current tobacco user, and <br /> WHEREAS, in North Carolina, 8,676 middle school students currently smoke cigarettes; and <br /> 55,688 high school students currently smoke cigarettes; (North Carolina Tobacco Prevention and <br /> Control Branch ); and <br /> WHEREAS, there is supportive evidence that increasing the minimum legal age of purchase to 21 <br /> will save more lives, reduce initiation among adolescents and young adults, and immediately <br /> improve the health of adolescents, young adults and young mothers who would be deterred from <br /> smoking, as well as their children (institute of Medicine, 2015); and <br /> WHEREAS, we believe in the need to educatQ and empower youth about the harmful effects of <br /> tobacco use and prohibit these incidences of purchase until the conscious age of 21 years; and <br /> WHEREAS, penalties included in G.S 14-313 Youth access to tobacco products, tobacco-derived <br /> products, vapor products, and cigarette wrapping papers would remain the same; and <br /> WHEREAS, in recognition of the damaging effects of preemption and the importance of community <br /> tobacco control policies, both the Healthy People 2010 and the Healthy People 2020 objectives, <br /> which are developed by the Department of Health and Human Services to set the national public <br /> health agenda for each decade, include an objective calling for the elimination of all state laws that <br /> preempt local tobacco control policies (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013). <br /> NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Orange County Board of Commissioners joins <br /> with the Orange County Board of Health to request that the North Carolina General Assembly <br /> restore local control over tobacco policies by rescinding preemption; therefore, granting Orange <br /> County the legal authority to protect residents from known public health threats by enacting <br /> innovative, evidence-based policies such as an increase in the minimum sale age of tobacco <br /> products from 18 to 21. The lifting of preemption reinstates local capacity to develop public policy <br /> and revitalizes community debate, education and empowerment. <br /> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we also call on other Boards of Commissioners to request the <br /> restoration of local control over tobacco policies so as to better help prevent youth initiation. <br /> This the 16'h Day of June 2015. <br /> Earl McKee, Chair <br /> Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />