Riverbend says tobacco vendors in compliance

Riverbend organizers are dismissing complaints from local health officials that tobacco vendors could be violating a federal settlement that prohibits marketing tobacco products to children.

Camel, USA Gold and Longhorn smokeless tobacco vendors are providing free samples to Riverbend patrons of legal age, said Chip Baker, executive director of Friends of the Festival.

PDF: Open letter to Chip Baker

"They are absolutely in compliance," he said.

Leaders of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Health Council and the county Health Department sent Mr. Baker a letter Thursday, urging organizers to make the festival a smoke-free event.

Health officials said they are concerned that the vendors' presence at a family-oriented event could violate the 1998 multistate master settlement agreement, which bans marketing of tobacco products to people under 18.

Tobacco companies also said they would provide states with funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs and to cover some health costs related to tobacco use.

At Riverbend, the tobacco vendors are set up along Riverfront Parkway near the Bud Light stage, festival organizers said. But health officials worry because the tents also are near the Children's Village play area.

Young people "are bound to be influenced" if the popular local festival promotes tobacco, Hamilton County Health Department Administrator Becky Barnes said.

Nearly half of Tennesseans aged 18 to 25 smoke, said Howard Roddy, vice president at Memorial Hospital and chairman of the health council.

"We're just concerned again that tobacco products would be too accessible and available to our young adults," he said.

Mr. Baker said there is an alcohol- and smoke-free area of the festival and, if the demand is there, he's open to expanding that area.

The Camel and USA Gold vendors have fully enclosed tents, and Longhorn has an enclosed trailer, said Tammy Sitton, director of marketing with Friends of the Festival. All require proper ID for entry, and people are carded again before they can receive a free sample, she said.

The state attorney general's office is evaluating photos of the vendors' set-ups to see if they comply with the master settlement, spokeswoman Sharon Curtis-Flair said.

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