By: Ayla Ozturk
Student advocates from the H.E.A.L Project (Healing, Equity, Advocacy, Leadership Project)and API PAC (Asian Pacific Islander Partners and Advocates Countering Tobacco) returned to City Council on February 28th, 2022.
Last spring, a smoke shop opened 400 feet from Houston Elementary School. This raised students’ concern, as nicotine and tobacco are significant issues among youth.
The students brought the issue to City Hall back in November, requesting a 1000-foot buffer between smoke shops and schools.
The city enacted a buffer of 750 feet, which is 250 feet less than what the students wanted.
According to Luzciel Ponce-Esquibel, class of 2024, the buffer “is better than nothing”, but she would have appreciated it more if it was 1000 feet.
Ponce-Esquibel spoke at the city council meeting February 28th. She says it was “nerve-racking” to give her address.
She continues, “It was like everyone’s looking and it’s like they’re paying attention to every single word I said, I didn’t want to make a mistake.”
Regardless of her occasional hesitation, she is confident she did well in advocating for her peers.
Ponce-Esquibel reports that their goal is to have smoke shops farthest possible from schools, parks, and similar areas.
She expresses, “I know for a fact that the farther it is, the lazier people would be to go to it.”
Enrique Martinez, class of 2023, is a junior at Golden West High School. Like Ponce-Esquibel, he spoke at the meeting.
“I mean, I feel pretty cool. [I am] trying to make an impact in [my] community for sure. Kind of nerve wracking, not going lie” he says.
Martinez says seeing his voice heard by City Council and knowing they took it into consideration was “really nice.”
According to Martinez, the buffer, regardless of size, will remove routes to shops and even smoke shops themselves. He feels that 750 feet is a start, but 1000 feet would be much more beneficial.
“I think the more we can take away the better. But again, maybe it’s important to start with something rather than nothing, you know?” he says.
“It’s important to know that we as teenagers, we impact each other so much. I think it’s important that we attend each other, like to our mental needs. It’s important to take [those] things into consideration. Many problems are [related to] mental health, and [teenagers] try to solve them with drugs or something [similar]. I think, the more together we are as a society, as teenagers, as the youth, the faster the problem can be solved, and the better it will be.”
– Enrique Martinez ’23
Ayla Ozturk
Ayla Ozturk, class of 2024, is a fourth-year journalism student passionate about leading the News section. She is dedicated to informing students and amplifying their voices through Government and Politics writing.
You can reach her at ayla.oz3769@vusd.us.
Tags: API-PACT, apipact, ayla ozturk, city council, Enrique Martinez, golden west high school, h.e.a.l project, HEAL, heal project, houston elementary school, Lucy ponce, luzciel ponce, luzciel ponce-esquibel, rangers, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, rhs, smoke shops, vaping, visalia ca, visalia city council