We are a group of 12th grade students from Westchester Square Academy in the Bronx, NYC. As students, we watch helplessly as our peers are drawn into the grip of recreational drug use facilitated by the proximity of smoke shops to our schools. We see firsthand the detrimental effects on their school performance, safety, and mental well-being. It's a growing concern that needs immediate attention. The constant presence of these smoke shops brings the accessibility and allure of damaging substances far too close to the sphere of student life. Our civics class conducted a survey that said 86% of people in the school felt affected by drugs. So why is it that our city has no limitations on how close smoke shops can be to schools?

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, students who smoke are five times more likely to drop out of school and report lower grades, clearly indicating a correlation between drug use and academic performance. This makes the situation all the more alarming in our pursuit of a brighter future

In parallel, we propose to replace these smoke shops with safer, healthier environments for students. Encouraging businesses to open spaces for teenagers after school activities could become places to foster talent, collaboration, and interaction, promoting mental and physical well-being.

Let's offer more opportunities for teens to grow, thrive, and discover their passions, rather than exposing them to harmful substances. Achieving this goal requires the support of not just the students, but also parents, teachers, and the community as a whole. We must bring attention to our local officials to set a limit on smoke shop distance to schools. Signing this petition could signify a move toward a safer, healthier future for our young generation. Help us bring this change. Sign the petition.