Kings County Tobacco-Free Partnership

12/02/2015

Think of how we could improve our communities with all that savings!

Talk about savings! 1.usa.gov/1rmfoYs

11/30/2015

HUD's proposed rule would require more than 3,100 public housing agencies (PHAs) across the country to implement smoke-free policies in their developments within 18 months of the final rule. "The smoke-free policy must also extend to all outdoor areas up to 25 feet from the housing and administrative office buildings." Public comment (for or against the proposal) is being solicited and due by January 19, 2016. Commenting on proposed regulation is a great way to make your voice heard if you feel strongly about an issue!

10/13/2015

"Safer" does not mean safe. The small ni****ne and chemical-containing particles in e-cigarette v***r may settle on near-by objects, as we have seen with traditional "thirdhand" smoke.

Just like traditional ci******es, the ni****ne in e-cig aerosol sticks to food, furniture, and countertops, exposing non-users to “thirdhand” ni****ne. bit.ly/1QnIr5b

10/08/2015

A little humor to start your day... Comedian Stephen Colbert illustrates why regulation on va**ng is needed - now!

Since the long-term effects of e-ci******es are still unknown, there’s absolutely no reason to not market it to young people. Subscribe To "The Late Show" Ch...

09/16/2015

Citing a responsibility to protect the health and safety of visitors and employees, the National Park Service bans e-cigarette use wherever smoking in the parks is prohibited!

'V***r products pose no more of a fire risk than a cellphone battery,' an opponent of the new policy says.

08/20/2015

Great editorial from the Chicago Tribune on increasing the smoking age to 21: "Too many younger people still light up. Even though they've heard the scary public service announcements. And the lectures from parents and teachers. More stern talk probably won't help. But a new study shows something that could: Ban to***co sales to anyone under 21."

The vast majority of smokers start before they turn 21. That's not surprising. Most adults at age 30 or 40 wouldn't dream of lighting up. They are better able to weigh the risks of smoking against — we use this term generously — the rewards.

08/18/2015

Action Alert! The FDA is currently accepting comments for its Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), which asks for public comments on whether liquids used in electronic ci******es and other novel to***co products, such as ni****ne gels, should include warning labels and require child-resistant packaging. This is a great opportunity for To***co-Free Partnership members to have their voices heard! To submit your comments, visit the link below. For more information on the topic and comment examples, visit UCSF's Center for To***co Control at https://to***co.ucsf.edu/ucsf-and-california-poison-control-centers-response-fda-questions-liquid-ni****ne-products or the Public Health Law Center at http://publichealthlawcenter.org/blogs/2015-06-24/preventing-ni****ne-poisoning-among-children-and-youth Comments must be submitted by Aug. 31st.

08/12/2015

96% cleaner indoor air thanks to smoke-free laws!

Breathing easier in the Big Easy: 100 days after New Orleans’ smoke-free law took effect, air pollution levels inside bars and the casino have dropped 96 percent. More: bit.ly/1gKfiWB

08/04/2015

Recent studies suggest that even ni****ne-free e-cigarette aerosol may be harmful to your lungs.

A recent study from the American Physiological Society finds that e-cigarette v***r can damage lung cells – even if it is ni****ne free. bit.ly/1H4vNTq

07/27/2015

As more California cities and counties move to ban e-ci******es where traditional ci******es are prohibited, community leaders have more evidence to consider: we know that ni****ne is harmful to the developing adolescent brain, other chemicals in e-ci******es may also pose significant health risks, and e-ci******es likely contribute to re-normalization of smoking behavior, which may in turn impact use among youth. “While it is possible that some adolescents are using e-ci******es instead of ci******es, our data suggest that e-ci******es may be recruiting new to***co product users who might not have used ci******es,” said lead author Jessica Barrington-Trimis, PhD, a professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at the University of Southern California. “California has historically had some of the lowest rates of adolescent smoking in the country, so these results are particularly troubling and raise a lot of questions about the potential consequences of high rates of e-cigarette use for the health of adolescents.”

As cigarette use continues its historical drop among teens and e-cigarette use has begun climbing, one question looms large for public health officials: will the popularity of e-ci******es undo all the progress made in reducing teen smoking rates? The answer isn’t very easy to pin down, but a recent…

07/14/2015

After significant amendments were made in committee, Senator Mark Leno (the original bill author) pulls his support for SB 140. The bill would have classified e-ci******es as a to***co product and prohibited "va**ng" anywhere that traditional ci******es are prohibited. The amendments made in committee changed the bill significantly, no longer classifying e-ci******es as a to***co product; changes which many original bill supporters could not accept.
A second article, from the Sacramento Bee, can be found here: http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/editorials/article26908129.html

The author of one of the bills renounced it after a key committee made a major change to the legislation.

07/08/2015

Go Delaware! A similar bill is being considered in CA right now! SB 140 would include
electronic ci******es in California’s smokefree laws, prohibiting their use at workplaces, schools, daycares, restaurants, bars, hospitals and public transportation.

The new law which will take effect in 90 days extends Delaware s indoor smoking ban to include electronic smoking devices which are defined as any product containing or delivering ni****ne or any