KING COUNTY, WA - Tomorrow, during Public Health Week, Public Health - Seattle & King County, the American Cancer Society, Evergreen Hospital and the City of Kirkland will be sponsoring the Tobacco Enforcement Leadership Summit.

The event, attended by state legislators, county Councilmembers, police chiefs, and other officials, will focus on effective ways to prevent youth tobacco use and enforce the law that prohibits the sale of tobacco to minors.

Tobacco Enforcement Leadership Summit:

Wednesday, April 4, 2001
9 a.m. to noon
City of Kirkland City Hall (City Council Chambers)
123 Fifth Ave., Kirkland, WA

The summit will include:

• a student panel
• presentation of successful school, police and community tobacco partnerships
• presentation of effective enforcement of tobacco laws on and off campus

The summit, which is open to the media and the public, will be geared toward school resource officers, principals, district administrators, police command staff and community agencies.

"Keeping our kids from using tobacco is of utmost importance," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County. "If we can keep our children free from tobacco addiction until they are 18 years old, the chances are great that they will never start using it."

For more information on Public Health's Tobacco Prevention Program, call 206-296-7613 or visit www.metrokc.gov/health/tobacco.