Tobacco Targets Youth . . . Jefferson County Public Health Launches New Campaign to Educate and Engage the Community in Protecting Youth from Tobacco

The tobacco industry has a long history of targeting youth. Despite gains made in tobacco prevention in years past, tobacco use continues to be the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and far too many youth are still being deceived by the industry’s marketing tactics and picking up the deadly habit.

Jefferson County Public Health is launching a new campaign entitled “Tobacco Targets Youth” to raise awareness and educate Jefferson County residents about how youth are being targeted by the tobacco industry and how easy it still is for youth to access and use tobacco products. The campaign uses print and digital advertisements with images of Colorado youth holding signs displaying hard-hitting facts such as, "Almost 90% of adult smokers start before the age of 18" and "91,000 teens in Colorado will die prematurely from smoking". 

The 2013 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey indicated that 10.7% of Colorado high school students smoke cigarettes, and almost 60% of high school students in Colorado report that it is "easy or very easy" to get cigarettes. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that e-cigarettes have become the most commonly used tobacco product among youth in the United States with three million middle and high school students having used e-cigarettes in 2015. 

Tobacco companies spent nearly $9.5 billion on advertising and promotional expenses in the United States in 2013, and the majority of their marketing budgets is spent on price discounts, point-of-sale advertising, coupons, and payments to ensure prime retail space. According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, tobacco companies advertise heavily at retail outlets near schools and playgrounds with large signs visible from outside the stores. This is especially concerning considering that the Surgeon General has reported that the more young people are exposed to cigarette advertising and promotional activities, the more likely they are to smoke. Additionally, the tobacco industry continues to produce and sell products that are appealing to youth such as little cigars, e-cigarettes, and e-juices in kid-friendly flavors such as cotton candy and bubble gum.

“Tobacco Targets Youth” encourages youth and adults in Jefferson County to visit www.tobaccofreejeffco.com/youth to get facts and learn how they can help protect youth from tobacco. Community members are also invited to take action by getting involved with the Tobacco-Free Jeffco Alliance. Alliance Co-Chair Dr. Charmaine Brittain, MSW, Ph.D. states, “The Alliance joins with our community to make Jefferson County the healthiest place to live and bring up our children. We encourage our community members to get involved and help us make it so."

Tobacco-Free Jeffco’s next meeting will take place on June 8, 2016, from 4:30-6:30pm at the Jefferson County Courts and Administration Building located at 100 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden, Colorado. The meeting coincides with the launch of the new campaign and will provide a forum for discussion about effective strategies for reducing youth access to and use of tobacco. “The Tobacco-free Jeffco Alliance recommends communities adopt policies, such as requiring tobacco retailers to have a license and strengthening smoke-free laws, in order to reduce youth access to tobacco and protect our youth from the predatory practices of the tobacco industry,” stated Alliance Co-Chair Dr. Lorrie Odom, MD. All are invited to attend the meeting and are encouraged to RSVP in advance at bit.ly/June8TFJA.

Jefferson County Public Health continues to work toward reducing the toll of tobacco in our communities through sustainable solutions to the problem of tobacco use and exposure. To learn more about current initiatives and how to get involved, please visit www.tobaccofreejeffco.com, email tobaccofree@jeffco.us,
or call 303-275-7555.

References:

·         www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/tobacco_related_mortality/

·         www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/tobacco_industry/marketing/

·         www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/reports/preventing-youth-tobacco-use/index.html

·         www.tobaccofreekids.org/facts_issues/toll_us/colorado

·         www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0008.pdf

·         http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2016/04/21/peds.2015-4155

·         http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/brp/tcrb/monographs/19/m19_complete.pdf

·         www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6514a1.htm

·         http://tobaccofreejeffco.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Local-Licensing-FACTSHEET.pdf

·         www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/protection/reduce_smoking

Jefferson County Public Health Releases New Youth-Focused Media Campaign, “Tobacco is Even Scarier”

Afraid of snakes? Guess what? … They kill about 8 people in the United States per year while cigarettes kill almost half a million. In a new youth-targeted media campaign, Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) intends to put common fears of snakes, bears, sharks and spiders into perspective and expose tobacco as the real threat.

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that more deaths are caused by tobacco use than by all deaths from illegal drug use, alcohol use, HIV, motor vehicle injuries, suicides and murders combined. According to the Surgeon General, nearly 9 out of 10 people who smoke start by age 18, and 99% start before the age of 26.  Most recently, teen use of nicotine-delivering electronic smoking devices (ESDs) has increased dramatically. This April 2015, the CDC released data from the 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey reporting that high school and middle school use of ESDs tripled from 2013 to 2014.

The new “Tobacco is Even Scarier” campaign is intended to discourage young people from starting tobacco and to help current tobacco users to get help with breaking free from nicotine addiction, including addiction caused by the use of ESDs. This summer, the campaign will feature digital and mobile advertisements in addition to movie theater public service announcements. View video here: https://youtu.be/OMVwB4MgLus. Area youth are actively working on reducing the toll of tobacco and nicotine addiction in their schools and communities. Jefferson County Breathe Easy (BE) Teams are youth clubs supported by their high schools and Jefferson County Public Health’s Tobacco Prevention Initiative. BE Teams educate community members about the problem of tobacco and advocate for sustainable solutions, including policy change.

Resources:

·         For more information about youth tobacco prevention, visit www.tobaccofreejeffco.com/youth-prevention/.

·         To learn more about how youth can get involved in local efforts, visit www.JeffcoTobaccoFreeYouth.com.

·         Youth can learn the facts about tobacco and make the decision early to live a tobacco-free life by visiting www.tobaccoisnasty.org.

·         For help with quitting tobacco, consider some of the following resources:

o   For telephone support, coaching and resources to help you or a loved one become tobacco-free; call the Colorado QuitLine at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).  The QuitLine also offers web-based support at www.COQuitLine.org. This free service provides information and tools to develop your own personal plan for quitting.

o   The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment offers www.TobaccoFreeCO.org, an online web hub that connects visitors to a variety of resources and topics including cessation services and information on preventing secondhand smoke exposure and youth tobacco use.

o   COQuitMobile is a free text-based program that places you on the path to a life free from tobacco.

o   Attend a free tobacco cessation group hosted by Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge on Tuesdays at 12:00 p.m.  This is a six week drop-in group that provides adults who want to quit smoking with tools and support to achieve their goals (You do not need to attend all six weeks in order to participate).

o   You may also visit the Thinking of Quitting page on the Tobacco-Free Jeffco Website for a list of additional resources and videos that will encourage and help you to quit.

Tobacco: The Kiss of Death

Arsenic is the poison used to kill rats. Did you know cigarettes and chew have that, too? Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) is launching its ‘Kiss of Death’ multi-media campaign to educate youth and young adults about the harmful chemicals found in tobacco products and tobacco smoke.

According to the Surgeon General, nearly 9 out of 10 people who smoke, start by age 18, and 99% start before the age of 26. A recent study published in January 2015 found that teens believe that “light smoking” poses little or no risk. Through the ‘Kiss of Death’ campaign, JCPH hopes to shed light on the fact that even one cigarette or dip is too many.

“Misperceptions about the harms of tobacco still exist, and youth and young adults are continuing to become addicted. By raising awareness that tobacco products contain deadly chemicals like arsenic and formaldehyde, we hope teens and young adults will be discouraged from ever starting,” explained Zach Dunlop, Youth Engagement Specialist from Jefferson County Public Health’s Tobacco Prevention Initiative.

During the month of February, the ‘Kiss of Death’ campaign will be advertised digitally on Pandora and Facebook, and print versions may be viewed on beverage coasters at local bars and restaurants. Campaign messages will also reach youth and young adults at several area high schools and Red Rocks Community College. High school students will play off of the campaign’s edgy ‘kiss’ graphic during the week of Valentine’s Day by hosting events aimed to educate fellow students about the harms of tobacco use. These events will give youth the opportunity to interact with the campaign by writing “break-up” letters to the fictional character “Nic O. Tine” and spreading the word through social media using #KissofDeath.

Learn more about the toll of tobacco and how to get involved in local tobacco prevention efforts at www.tobaccofreejeffco.com.

If you or someone you know needs help with breaking up with “the Kiss of Death”, consider some of the following FREE resources:

• For telephone support, coaching and resources to help you or a loved one become tobacco-free; call the Colorado QuitLine at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669). The QuitLine also offers web-based support at www.coquitline.org. This free service provides information and tools to develop your own personal plan for quitting.
  
• The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment offers www.TobaccoFreeCO.org, an online web hub that connects visitors to a variety of resources and topics including cessation services and information on preventing secondhand smoke exposure and youth tobacco use.
  
• COQuitMobile is a free text-based program that places you on the path to a life free from tobacco.

Attend a free tobacco cessation group hosted by Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge on Tuesdays at 12:00 p.m. This is a six week drop-in group that provides adults who want to quit smoking with tools and support to achieve their goals. (You do not need to attend all six weeks in order to participate.)

You may also visit the Thinking of Quitting page on the Tobacco-Free Jeffco Website for a list of additional resources and videos that will encourage and help you to quit.

Jeffco Youth Stand Up to Tobacco’s Marketing Tactics

Jefferson County Breathe Easy (BE) Teams and the Tobacco-Free Jeffco Alliance hosted an event on March 19, 2014 in honor of National Kick Butts Day, an annual day of activism empowering youth to take a stand against the tobacco industry. High school BE Team students spoke to community members and policy makers about their recent “Sweet, Cheap and Deadly” campaign involving assessments of retail outlets near high schools, a photo voice project, educational outreach, and counter-marketing activities. The photographs taken by BE Team students in convenience stores and gas stations spoke to the fact that the tobacco industry is targeting youth in Jeffco through flavors and price discounts as well as novel products, including e-cigarettes. Youth encouraged adult community members to join them in addressing the problem of cheap, flavored tobacco by offering sustainable solutions to help protect generations to come.

To learn more about the “Sweet, Cheap and Deadly” campaign, please visit: tobaccofreejeffco.com/BE-Teams.html or contact Christie Preston, Youth Engagement Specialist at cpreston@jeffco.us or 303-275-7565.

“I Am a Smoke-Free Zone”

Jefferson County Public Health is proud to help launch “I Am A Smoke-Free Zone,” a new education campaign with a focus on limiting children’s exposure to secondhand smoke. “The campaign’s message that children are “smoke-free zones” is important,” said Donna Viverette, JCPH Tobacco Prevention Initiative Supervisor. She also stated, “We know secondhand smoke is harmful to everyone and that children are often the innocent bystanders. This campaign reminds people to protect kids by not smoking around them and helping them to avoid others’ tobacco smoke as well.”

The campaign focuses on common myths about secondhand smoke:

1. The myth that blowing your smoke out a window or door prevents secondhand smoke exposure, 
2. The myth that ventilation in a home or car is a good strategy, 
3. The myth that room deodorizers can minimize risk, and 
4. The myth that if it’s not enough to smoke in another room, open windows, and get rid of the odor, then the only other option is to quit.

According to Viverette, “The only way to fully protect children against secondhand smoke is to make cars and homes 100% smoke-free and never smoke around children,” said Viverette.

In children aged 18 months or younger, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports secondhand smoke exposure is responsible for an estimated 150,000–300,000 new cases of bronchitis and pneumonia annually and approximately 7,500–15,000 hospitalizations annually in the United States.

For more information on how to protect children from secondhand smoke go to IAmASmoke-FreeZone.org or visit Tobacco-Free Jeffco online.

Quitting Tobacco and Avoiding Tobacco Smoke Saves Lives

An interest in improving health, the environment and safety has communities and businesses across the country working to protect everyone from the dangers of tobacco smoke. In Jefferson County, the JCPH Tobacco Prevention Program has implemented two new messaging campaigns designed to get people thinking about the harms of tobacco and tobacco smoke and to begin taking steps to live tobacco free and provide tobacco free environments for everyone.

“My Greatest Enemy” is being used by Jefferson County Public Health to highlight the harms and addiction of cigarette smoking and tobacco and the stories of those who fight back and win life’s battles. Many fight and survive depression, cancer, drug abuse and much more only to find themselves facing what may be an even greater enemy - tobacco addiction. Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that more deaths are caused each year by tobacco use than by all deaths from illegal drug use, alcohol use, HIV, motor vehicle injuries, suicides, and murders combined in the United States.

Look for “My Greatest Enemy” ads throughout the summer in local print publications, inside buses and on bus shelters. If you would like a “My Greatest Enemy” poster for your organization or business, please visit www.tobaccofreejeffco.com or contact Donna Viverette at 303-275-7555.

“We Share the Air!” is the title of the new health message campaign intended to inform Jefferson County residents about the harms of exposure to any amount of tobacco smoke in any environment, indoors and outdoors. The 2010 US Surgeon General report clearly states that even occasional, low levels of exposure to secondhand smoke is dangerous. “We Share the Air” emphasizes that secondhand smoke outside…is still secondhand smoke and is still dangerous.

Whether in your home or vehicle, at work, or while visiting outdoor public recreation areas, there is no risk-free level of exposure to tobacco smoke for anyone. By taking steps to protect yourself and others, you can reduce the risk of exposure and help to make the air we share healthier for all.

• My Greatest Enemy” and “We Share the Air” ads can be viewed at tobaccofreejeffco.com
• If you need help quitting cigarettes or any type of tobacco, please visit http://www.tobaccofreejeffco.com/how-to-quit.html or call 1-800-QUIT NOW. 
• For more information about the dangers of SHS and to get involved in tobacco prevention efforts, visit www.tobaccofreejeffco.com or contact Donna Viverette at 303-275-7555 or dviveret@jeffco.us
• View My Greatest Enemy news release
• View We Share the Air news release

Get ACTIVE in April

Spring is officially here and Jefferson County Public Health encourages everyone to make the most of it. Get outside and get active. Physical activity can help improve your health, make a commitment to move more this April! Check out the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Physical Activity Guidelines and the national “Let’s Move” campaign.