Local pharmacy owner honored for not selling tobacco products
(Long Island, NY) In celebration of Kick Butts Day, Reality Check LI teens honored Robert Grisnik, a pharmacist and owner of Southrifty Drug in Southampton for his leadership and commitment to not sell tobacco products. Local teens presented a certificate of recognition and expressed their appreciation.
“We want to thank Mr. Grisnick for looking out for kids in our community and being a leader in deciding not to sell tobacco products“, said Sam Moustafa, Reality Check teen. “Kids shouldn’t grow up thinking cigarettes are okay because you buy them at the same place as medicine and other health products”; said Megan Williams, Reality Check teen.
In celebration of Kick Butts Day, Reality Check LI teens honored Robert Grisnik, owner of Southrifty Drug in Southampton for not selling tobacco products. Photo Credit: Reality Check LI.
Reality Check Teens set up a table to educate the community about the importance of banning the sale of tobacco at all pharmacies and asked for residents and local organizations to sign on their support.
“The Surgeon General of the United States calls tobacco use a pediatric epidemic, with 3.6 million youth currently smoking cigarettes. I came to support Kick Butts Day because of a proven medical correlation: the more you smoke, the more you stroke. Stroke can often result in permanent disability and even death,” said Dr. Olga McAbee, Director of Neurology and Stroke at Southampton Hospital.
“The absence of tobacco products also reduces youth exposure to tobacco imagery and marketing which are known to increase youth smoking rates. Each year, 10,600 kids under 18 become new daily smokers in New York. The efforts by pharmacies such as Southrifty take steps towards reducing that number and protecting our youth”, said Michael Hoffner, Reality Check LI Coordinator.
Local teens presented Grisnik with a certificate of recognition and expressed their appreciation. Photo Credit: Reality Check LI.
“Pharmacies that refuse to stop selling tobacco products make the process of quitting smoking more difficult,” said Susan Kennedy, Director of the Tobacco Action Coalition of Long Island. “Having to face your biggest challenge every time you go to purchase nicotine replacement products or other non-smoking medications is a catch-22”.
“We applaud Bob Grisnik for leading by example and choosing to not sell tobacco products in his pharmacy,” said Michael Seilback, Vice President of Public Policy & Communications at the American Lung Association of the Northeast. “We hope to eventually see all pharmacies tobacco-free because we know that when kids see tobacco behind the checkout counter, they do take notice. Pharmacies and stores like Mr. Grisnik’s that make the decision to not sell tobacco are truly helping to save lives because they’re preventing another generation from picking up a habit that is both addictive and deadly.”
Kick Butts Day is a national day of activism sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids that empowers youth to speak out and stand up to the tobacco industry in an effort to end tobacco use once and for all.
Reality Check is a New York State youth-led, adult supported group against the deceptive marketing practices of the tobacco industry and the way they market their products towards youth. Reality Check youth work to expose the truth about the way the tobacco industry advertises and tries to eliminate those marketing opportunities in their community.
Reality Check LI is part of the Tobacco Action Coalition of Long Island which is funded by the NY Tobacco Control Program through a grant administered by the American Lung Association of the Northeast. To learn more visit RealityCheckLI.org.
