By Neil Doyle

FAIRBURY – A group of Prairie Central High School students is working on a project to restrict nicotine use in public areas.

The students are proposing an ordinance that would restrict the use of all nicotine products to a designated area at public parks and baseball fields in the Village of Forrest.

The project is called “Taking Down Tobacco,” according to Erin Fogarty, Health Education and Marketing Director with the Livingston County Public Health Department. She said a grant from the Illinois Tobacco-Free Communities Act is helping to fund the project.

“We teamed up with the Praire Central health teacher Scott Wiley to facilitate the program called Engaging Youth and Positive Change,” said Fogarty. “The goal of that program is to provide the students with the knowledge and skills necessary to advocate for healthy changes in their community.”

One of the students involved in the project is Lexi Schilling. The group is taking on this issue because nicotine is a problem, according to Schilling.

“As of 2017, 18.6% of Illinois high school students admitted to using tobacco products, including vapes,” she said. “According to county health ranking in Illinois, Livingston County ranks 74 out of 102 counties for length of life. We believe that with laws that encourage healthy behaviors, like the one we’re advocating for, we can help Livingston County residents live longer and healthier lives.”

The students will present the proposed ordinance to the Village of Forrest board March 9.

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]