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For Parents and Teachers

Children and Smoking

Each day in the United States, 3,200 kids under age 18 smoke their first cigarette.

Children start smoking for a variety of reasons. Some think it makes them look cool, appear older, fit in with other kids, lose weight, or seem tough. Some do it just to feel independent. Some do it just because they’ve seen it all their life and think it’s normal.

You should start the dialogue about tobacco use at age 5 or 6, and continue it through the high school years. Many kids start using tobacco by age 11, and many are addicted by age 14.

Source: https://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/talking-to-kids-about-smoking

Prevention Tips

  • Discuss tobacco use in a way that doesn’t make kids fear punishment or judgement
  • Make tobacco use an ongoing conversation – talk and listen patiently
  • Encourage teens to get involved in activities that prohibit smoking, such as sports
  • Discuss ways to respond to peer pressure (hint: self-confidence is a child’s best protection!)
  • Establish firm rules for your household that exclude tobacco use
  • If you smoke, quit. Explain to your child the consequences of your smoking. Talk to your kids about how difficult it is to quit smoking and how much easier it would have been if you’d never started smoking in the first place.

Student Assistance Programs

TFA collaborates with Addiction Medicine Services (AMS) of WPIC, UPMC to provide consultation and technical assistance to schools as they address the state requirements for preventing tobacco use.  Utilizing the existing Student Assistance Programs (SAP) in schools, the AMS staff facilities the incorporation of tobacco issues into existing policies and procedures.  This effort assists schools to implement 100% tobacco free school policies that includes increased support for intervention and cessation services for youth who use tobacco products.  AMS staff is available to work intensively with schools on an individual coaching basis.  AMS staff can provide on-site training and technical assistance for SAP personnel as they revise school policies and procedures and revise SAP protocols around tobacco use.

For more information about SAP Trainings, please contact:

Addiction Medicine Services
412-235-5377
www.upmc.com/sap

TRU: Tobacco Resistance Unit

The Tobacco Resistance Unit is a movement throughout all of Pennsylvania to help youth, ages 12 to 18, stay tobacco and nicotine free. For more information, visit our TRU page.

E-Cigarette Toolkit

E-cigarettes are very popular with youth, and their use is growing dramatically. Today, more high school students use e-cigarettes than regular cigarettes, and the use of e-cigarettes is higher among high school students than adults. Our free toolkit can help you to implement educational programming regarding e-cigarettes for faculty, students, and staff. Click here to learn more.

My Life, My Quit

My Life, My Quit is an enhanced tobacco and vaping cessation program for teens under age 18 who want to stop using tobacco products, especially electronic cigarettes like JUUL. It’s free, confidential, and just for teens. For more information, click here.

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Secondhand Smoke

About Secondhand Smoke

Secondhand smoke (also called Passive Smoke, Environmental Tobacco Smoke, or ETS) is a mixture of the unfiltered smoke that comes from burning tobacco and the smoke exhaled by the smoker.  Because smoke from a burning cigarette is unfiltered, it may contain twice the amount of tar and nicotine as the smoke that passes through the filter.

There is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke!

Breathing secondhand smoke increases the risk of developing heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory problems.  Children and the elderly are especially vulnerable to the effects of secondhand smoke.  Anyone who already has heart disease or respiratory problems should be careful to avoid exposure to secondhand smoke.

Learn more about the health effects of secondhand smoke.

What Can I Do?

To protect yourself and your loved ones from secondhand smoke, you should:

  • Not allow anyone to smoke anywhere in or near your home.
  • Not allow anyone to smoke in your car, even with the window down.
  • Make sure your children’s day care centers and schools are tobacco-free.
  • Make sure caretakers like nannies and babysitters do not smoke.
  • If your state still allows smoking in public areas, look for restaurants and other places that do not allow smoking. “No-smoking sections” do not protect you and your family from secondhand smoke.

Thirdhand Smoke

A relatively new term, third hand smoke, is being used to describe the residue that builds up on surfaces after exposure to smoke.  More research is coming out on the effects of third hand smoke but it is clear this toxic residue does cause health risks.

Learn more about thirdhand smoke.

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Tobacco21

About Tobacco21

Tobacco21 calls for policy change to raise the age to legally purchase tobacco and nicotine products from 18 to 21.

Why?

Due to a proliferation of new products The National Youth Tobacco Survey reports that in 2017 1 in 5 high schoolers used tobacco products, and 1 in 10 used multiple tobacco products. Clever marketing by the tobacco industry, pushing small cigars, hookahs, e-cigarettes, and flavored vaping products, has put millions of young people at risk of lifelong lethal nicotine addiction.

Age 21 protects younger teens better

The younger the buyer is, the less likely they are to achieve a purchase. Moreover, most social sources of tobacco for teens are themselves younger than 21. Age 21 reduces initiation in younger kids and inhibits consolidation of addiction in older teens.

The Facts

Pennsylvania currently has an above average rate of high school smoking and adult smoking. An estimated 244,000 children now under the age of 18 will eventually die early due to smoking, with 6,000 children becoming daily smokers every year. The high school student’s e-cigarette usage rate is currently 11.3%, and undoubtedly is driving up Pennsylvania’s overall youth tobacco use rates as well.

The result is an annual health care cost of $6.38 billion that is directly caused by smoking, and another $5.73 billion in lost productivity. Despite all of this, the state only spends 13.5% of the CDC recommended amount on tobacco prevention, but does have a tax of $2.60 per pack.

Want more information? Check out the resources below:

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For Retail Managers and Associates

We don't sell tobacco to minorsPennsylvania’s Act 112

Pennsylvania’s Act 112 prohibits the sale of tobacco products to minors, while federal law bans the sale of e-cigarettes and vaping pens (known as Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems, or ENDS) to those under 18 years of age.

In Allegheny County, Tobacco Free Allegheny has been authorized to check that stores are not selling tobacco to minors since 2002.  If tobacco products are sold to a minor on one of our teams, a Criminal Complaint is filed against both the clerk and the store owner/manager, who will then either plead guilty and pay a fine or appear before a magistrate.

It is illegal to:

  • Sell a tobacco product to a minor.
  • Provide a minor with a tobacco product.
  • Place a vending machine in a location accessible to a minor.
  • Sell cigarettes outside of a pack.
  • Locate a tobacco display out of sight of a clerk.

Retailers must implement a written policy against selling tobacco to minors, which includes:

  1. A requirement that an employee ask any person who appears under the age of 25 for a valid photo ID as proof of age prior to making a sale.
  2. A list of all types of acceptable photo IDs.
  3. A list of factors to be examined on the photo ID, including photo likeness, birth date, expiration date, the signature, and evidence the ID may be fake/falsified.
  4. A requirement that if the photo ID is missing any of the listed items, it is not a valid proof of age. A second photo ID may be required to make a sale of tobacco products with questions referred to the manager.
  5. A disciplinary policy that includes employee suspension for failure to require a valid photo ID and dismissal for repeated improper sales.
  6. Documenting employee training in writing.
  7. Posting signs that selling tobacco to minors is illegal.

Retailer Toolkit

Retail managers and associates play a critical role in restricting youth access to tobacco products. We’ve created a free toolkit that is meant to serve as a guide that will help you, and your employees, understand and follow the law.

Click here to learn more

Interested in helping Tobacco Free Allegheny with preventing youth access to tobacco products?

We’re always on the lookout for new minors and adult officers to join our compliance and enforcement team.

Compliance officers work in teams of 3 (two adults, one minor) and FDA officers work in teams of 2 (one adult, one minor) or teams of 1 (one adult).  For more information, contact Alan Jones, Retail Compliance Liaison, at 412-322-8321 x306 or via email.

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Contact Your Legislator

Passionate about tobacco control and public health? We are too!

Tobacco Free Allegheny encourages you to speak with community stakeholders and your local legislators to ask for change and support.

Here are some of the topics we are currently discussing through education and advocacy:

Find tips and suggestions to connect with your legislator.

Search for your representative using an address.

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For Landlords and Property Managers

About Smokefree Housing

Not only does smokefree housing protect the health of your tenants, it reduces your costs, risk, and liability as well.

The Facts:

  1. Smokefree policies are legal
    Smokefree policies are not discriminatory. There is no constitutional right to smoke and people who smoke are not a protected class. A smokefree building does not mean that people who smoke cannot live in the building, or that people who smoke must quit. It simply means that people cannot smoke inside the building or in other areas specified in the policy, such as on balconies and patios.
  2. Smoking costs you money
    A recent study found that costs in properties that allow smoking everywhere were nearly double that of smoking-related costs incurred at smokefree properties, and compared to smokefree units, cleaning and refurbishing costs can be up to $3,000 more in units with heavy smoking. Maintenance and refurbishing expenses are not the only costs associated with allowing smoking in your building: Nationally, fires caused by cigarette smoking result in over $300 million in property loss each year.
  3. Just one tenant can negatively affect an entire building
    An estimated 7,600 smoking-related fires occur in residential buildings each year in the US. Fires caused by smoking are the leading cause of residential fire deaths in the U.S., accounting for 14% of fire deaths in residential buildings. Additionally, secondhand smoke can drift through buildings and enter common areas and units through vents, doors, windows, hallways, electrical outlets, and through gaps around fixtures and walls. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.
  4. The majority of people want smokefree housing
    Smokefree building policies can appeal to your current residents as well as new potential residents in your market. Non-smokers are the majority in every state. Additionally, surveys show that many smokers already choose not to smoke inside, in order to protect the health of their families and to prevent damage to their belongings.

Source: Copyright 2014 American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation

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PACT

PACT Pennsylvania Alliance to Control Tobacco

The Pennsylvania Alliance to Control Tobacco (PACT), under the American Lung Association in Pennsylvania, is a statewide coalition that educates the public and elected officials about clean indoor air, tobacco taxes, and other critical tobacco control issues. PACT is primarily funded by a grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Members of PACT include tobacco control advocates, healthcare professionals, government agencies, community leaders, business owners, and the general public.

To learn more, visit the PACT website.

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Allegheny Quits for Life

Allegheny Quits for Life

Smoking rates are declining nationally, but the battle is far from over.

Every day, roughly 1,300 Americans die
from smoking-related illnesses; that’s 480,000 a year.

This isn’t just a national problem –
the health effects of tobacco disproportionately affect Western Pennsylvanians:

The national average of people who smoke is 17%
In Pennsylvania, 19% of residents smoke
In Allegheny County, 21% (more than 1 in 5) people smoke

From November 11-17, 2018
Tobacco Free Allegheny, along with their partners, will be celebrating the
4th annual Allegheny Quits for Life Cessation Awareness Week!

What is Allegheny Quits for Life?

Allegheny Quits for Life is a week-long series of events and communications designed to support residents’ efforts to quit smoking and using tobacco products. Allegheny Quits for Life partners are critical in conveying the message that a smoke-free Allegheny is a healthier Allegheny, and to secure commitments from Allegheny residents to take the first steps toward quitting.

How Can I Get Involved?

This year’s Allegheny Quits for Life Cessation Awareness week has come to a close. Over the course of the week, 34 community partner organizations throughout Allegheny County held a total of 50 awareness events resulting in face-to-face interactions with over 1,500 individuals. Additionally, online and social media content reached over 10,000 people!

Thank you!

Allegheny Quits for Life partners are critical in conveying the message that a smoke-free Allegheny is a healthier Allegheny. We would like to extend a big THANK YOU to our 2018 partner organizations (in no particular order):

 

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Pets and Tobacco

About Pets and Tobacco

People are becoming more aware of the harmful effects of secondhand smoke on non-smokers.  Another vulnerable population that is often overlooked is our pets.  Our animals share our environment and breathe the same air – when that air is filled with the toxins from cigarette smoke, they can suffer many of the same consequences, such as cancer and respiratory illness.

  • Second hand smoke residue settles on every surface, including fur and feathers. When cats groom themselves, they are ingesting the toxins from the tobacco smoke.  Cats exposed to second hand smoke have twice the risk of feline lymphoma (cancer).  Dogs living with smokers develop more cancer as well.  Breeds with long noses tend to get more nasal tumors.  Breeds with shorter noses tend to get more lung cancer.
  • Symptoms of second hand smoke may look like allergies in your pet. Watery, irritated eyes, itchy, dry skin and coughing or wheezing may all be signs of reactions to exposure to second hand smoke.
  • Pets may ingest cigarette butts or nicotine patches or gum. The nicotine in these by-products and cessation products is toxic.  Call a veterinarian immediately if you think your pets has swallowed any form of nicotine.

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E-Cigarettes

About E-Cigarettes

E-cigarettes are battery-powered vaporizers that simulate the action and sensation of smoking. They are also known as e-cigs, vape pens, e-hookahs, e-pipes, tanks, mods, vapes, electronic nicotine delivery systems, or ENDS, and more. Some people refer to vaping devices by their brand name such as JUUL, BO, Blu, and others.

E-cigarettes contain pre-filled pods or e-liquids/e-juices the user adds to the device. E-liquids generally consist of propylene glycol, glycerin, water, nicotine, and flavorings. Many of these pods and e-liquids come in fruit and candy flavors that appeal to youth.

E-cigarettes do not produce tobacco smoke, but rather an aerosol, often mistaken for water vapor, that consists of fine particles. Many of these particles contain varying amounts of toxic chemicals, which have been linked to cancer, as well as respiratory and heart disease.

These toxins include:

  • Nicotine
  • Ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs
  • Flavoring such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to a serious lung disease
  • Volatile organic compounds
  • Cancer-causing chemicals
  • Heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead

Source: makesmokinghistory.org

Surgeon General’s Report

In December 2016, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy released a report about e-cigarette use among youth and young adults.  This report found that e-cigarettes are now “the most commonly used form of tobacco among youth in the United States, surpassing conventional tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and hookahs.” The major conclusions from the report are:

  1. E-cigarettes are a rapidly emerging and diversified product class.
  2. E-cigarette use among youth and young adults has become a public health concern.
  3. E-cigarettes are now the most commonly used tobacco product among youth, surpassing conventional cigarettes in 2014. E-cigarette use is strongly associated with the use of other tobacco products among youth and young adults, including combustible tobacco products.
  4. The use of products containing nicotine poses dangers to youth, pregnant women, and fetuses. The use of products containing nicotine in any form among youth, including in e-cigarettes, is unsafe.
  5. E-cigarette aerosol is not harmless. It can contain harmful and potentially harmful constituents, including nicotine. Nicotine exposure during adolescence can cause addiction and can harm the developing adolescent brain.
  6. E-cigarettes are marketed by promoting flavors and using a wide variety of media channels and approaches that have been used in the past for marketing conventional tobacco products to youth and young adults.
  7. Action can be taken at the national, state, local, tribal, and territorial levels to address e-cigarette use among youth and young adults. Actions could include incorporating e-cigarettes into smokefree policies, preventing access to e-cigarettes by youth, price and tax policies, retail licensure, regulation of e-cigarette marking likely to attract youth, and educational initiatives targeting youth and young adults.

E-Cigarette Toolkit

E-cigarettes are very popular with youth, and their use is growing dramatically. Today, more high school students use e-cigarettes than regular cigarettes, and the use of e-cigarettes is higher among high school students than adults. Our free toolkit can help you to implement educational programming regarding e-cigarettes for faculty, students, and staff. Click here to learn more.

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