STAMP

Stop Tobacco Abuse of Minors Pronto is seeking to have the United States Postal Service issue four tobacco control postage stamps each year on May 31st, "World No-Tobacco Day."

These four postage stamps would be the result of an annual nation-wide art contest on the theme of "Tobacco Control." The art contest would have four age categories. One category would be for elementary school age children, another for middle school age children, a third category for high school age youth and a final category for adults.

Until such time as the United States issues a tobacco control postage stamp, STAMP will issue it's own, in the form of seals, post cards and screen savers. For years, many other countries have issued their own tobacco control postage stamps; the United States has not.

In 1995, at the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations Association, with the help of the Orange County California Chapter of the United Nations Association (UNA), STAMP was able to get a resolution passed that requested the United States Postal Service to issue a postage stamp commemorating "World No-Tobacco Day."

In 1997, STAMP officially submitted artwork to the United States Postal Service and requested that a tobacco control postage stamp be considered. This artwork was some of the very best pieces gather from over 8,000 youths in the Santa Ana California. Santa Ana has the youngest population of the 100 largest cities in the United States. This location is auspicious for having birthed this initiative as the artwork seeks to put an end to tobacco abuse and what the American Medical Association refers to as a "pediatrics" disease. Indeed, this call for the United States to issue its first tobacco control postage stamp originated from "Santa Ana, The Nation's Youth Capital."

Since that time, thousands more youth and adults have contributed to this initiative from all over Orange County and California. In 1997, the United States Postal Service also responded to our request for a tobacco control postage stamp. The US Postal Service said that it usually takes some three years to adopt a stamp and thanked us for sharing.

To send a message that it is time to care still further, STAMP has been active in encouraging other countries to also issue tobacco control postage stamps. Once again with the help of the Orange County Chapter of the UNA, STAMP was able to get a resolution passed at the National UNA Convention in 1999. This resolution called for World Health Organization to promote United Nation member countries to issue tobacco control postage stamps on an annual basis.

A worldwide art contest would result in the issue of these tobacco control stamps each year in every country on May 31st, World No-Tobacco Day. A life saving message would go out around the world with each letter that carries such a stamp that says it is time to care about the #1 preventable cause of death and disease today.

Indeed, people will benefit in many ways with the message these tobacco control postage stamps deliver. These stamps will remind everyone of the dangers that are posed by tobacco use that threatens each and every person on our planet. Also, in addition to tobacco control advocates, stamp collecting enthusiast around the world will no doubt enjoy trading these stamps with other collectors far and wide further strengthening the impact of their life saving message.

STAMP essentially is seeking to encourage art contests to be conducted in every city and in every country that would result in artwork to be used for a tobacco control postage stamp. This global tobacco control activity would engage ?children of all ages? to rally to their own defense and send the message that it is ?time to care? and time to stop tobacco abuse of minors pronto!