From: Snus News & Other Tobacco Products
November 5, 2008 - Antismoking organizations (American Cancer Society Action Network, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, the American Medical Association and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids) register their protests over Philip Morris USA’s plans to introduce a new Virginia Slims cigarette product with heightened appeal for young women.
Philip Morris USA has said it will launch new Virginia Slim “Super Slim” cigarette in the first quarter of 2009. The cigarette, in both light and ultra light flavors, is smaller in diameter than a standard cigarette and will come in a narrow pink rectangular box with squared ends. While the box will hold the standard 20 cigarettes, it will be slimmer than a standard pack and will apparently be marketed as a “Purse Pack”.
A joint statement of these health-advocacy non-profit agencies stated that “Philip Morris shows contempt for women and their health by putting a pink gloss on a product that causes lung cancer and heart disease, two of the leading killers of women.”
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Gene Variants Linked to Risk for Nicotine Dependence and Lung Cancer
A cluster of gene variants on chromosome 15 associated with lung cancer risk also appear to affect risk for nicotine dependence, epidemiologists at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center report.
Three independent genome-wide association studies previously identified single nucleotide polymorphisms strongly associated with risk of lung cancer, Dr. Margaret R. Spitz and colleagues explain in the November 5 Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
"The region of interest," they write, "encompasses the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit genes CHRNA3 and CHRNA5 (as well as CHRNB4), which have a defined role in nicotine dependence and have been hypothesized to have a direct role in downstream signaling pathways that promote carcinogenesis."
For full story: Reuters, 2008-10-28
Three independent genome-wide association studies previously identified single nucleotide polymorphisms strongly associated with risk of lung cancer, Dr. Margaret R. Spitz and colleagues explain in the November 5 Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
"The region of interest," they write, "encompasses the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit genes CHRNA3 and CHRNA5 (as well as CHRNB4), which have a defined role in nicotine dependence and have been hypothesized to have a direct role in downstream signaling pathways that promote carcinogenesis."
For full story: Reuters, 2008-10-28
Monday, October 27, 2008
Smoke Free Virginia Regional Conference Calls
UPDATE - MAKING PUBLIC PLACES SMOKE FREE
As follow up to the Regional Meetings that the Virginians for a Healthy Future held this summer, VFHF will be conducting a series of Conference Calls the week of October 27 -31 to provide all members with an update of the “Latest and Greatest” in the campaign to make Virginia smoke free in 2009!
On the calls we will share and discuss with you:
-Plans for the 2009 General Assembly Session - preliminary discussion of strategy
-The Postcard Campaign: how many we have collected - where we have collected lots of signed cards and the areas we need a little more help
-Passage of Local Resolutions in support of Smoke Free Policy
-Great American Smoke Out Day events (Nov. 20th)
-Media Campaign efforts
Call Dates and Times
-October 27 - 2:00 pm (Richmond)
-October 28 - 10:00 am (Roanoke / Southwest Virginia)
-October 29 - 10:00 am (Fredericksburg)5:30 pm (Virginia Beach)
-October 30 - 2:00 pm (Lynchburg)6:30 pm (Northern Virginia)
-October 31 - 11:00 am (All regions)
If you would like to talk with individuals from the city or area from which you live in, we encourage you to choose the call with the name of your city beside it. But, please feel free to participate in the call that best fits your schedule.
Please REPLY TO Nicole Pugar at nicole@vfhf.org or (804) 225-5828 with the date and time of the callyou plan to participate.
Call in information will be forward to those who respond that they will be participating.
As follow up to the Regional Meetings that the Virginians for a Healthy Future held this summer, VFHF will be conducting a series of Conference Calls the week of October 27 -31 to provide all members with an update of the “Latest and Greatest” in the campaign to make Virginia smoke free in 2009!
On the calls we will share and discuss with you:
-Plans for the 2009 General Assembly Session - preliminary discussion of strategy
-The Postcard Campaign: how many we have collected - where we have collected lots of signed cards and the areas we need a little more help
-Passage of Local Resolutions in support of Smoke Free Policy
-Great American Smoke Out Day events (Nov. 20th)
-Media Campaign efforts
Call Dates and Times
-October 27 - 2:00 pm (Richmond)
-October 28 - 10:00 am (Roanoke / Southwest Virginia)
-October 29 - 10:00 am (Fredericksburg)5:30 pm (Virginia Beach)
-October 30 - 2:00 pm (Lynchburg)6:30 pm (Northern Virginia)
-October 31 - 11:00 am (All regions)
If you would like to talk with individuals from the city or area from which you live in, we encourage you to choose the call with the name of your city beside it. But, please feel free to participate in the call that best fits your schedule.
Please REPLY TO Nicole Pugar at nicole@vfhf.org or (804) 225-5828 with the date and time of the callyou plan to participate.
Call in information will be forward to those who respond that they will be participating.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
VTSF 1st Quarter Reports are Due Today!!!!!!
This is just a reminder to you VTSF current grantees that your 1st Quarter reports are due by COB today. Please make sure you email them to me at hharper@vtsf.org. If you need a copy of this form you can find it here: http://www.vtsf.org/grantees/forms/vtsfqr200809.doc.
Please call or email me if you are having any difficulties with the form or have any questions.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Check the Web if you want no smoke
By TAMMIE SMITH
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Consumers looking for a smoke-free place to have a meal can find that information on the Virginia Department of Health's restaurant-inspections Web site.
The state agency recently added information on fast-food and full-service restaurants' smoking policies.
To check a restaurant's most recent health inspection or its smoking status, go to www.vdh.virginia.gov and click on restaurant inspections.
"During the last couple of years, there have been several bills in the General Assembly that haven't made it through that ban smoking in restaurants," said Gary Hagy, food and environmental services division director at the state Health Department. "That has created a lot of interest by the public. We have gotten letters expressing the desire for restaurants to be nonsmoking. So we decided the least we could do is get some information out."
Hagy said there was already a category to indicate a restaurant's smoking status in the databases used to compile information on inspections.
"We asked our vendor to figure out a way to put this on the Web in a meaningful manner," Hagy said .
The new information indicates whether a facility bans smoking, permits it in designated areas or permits it anywhere on premises. The site also tells consumers what percentage of a locality's fast food and full-service eating establishments are smoke-free. For instance, Richmond, Henrico County and Chesterfield County show 57 percent, 69 percent and 54 percent of restaurants smoke-free, respectively.
Since 2003, the state Health Department's Web site has included food-safety information about restaurants and other food-service facilities based on the more than 60,000 unannounced restaurant inspections done in a year.
State officials say consumers can expect about a week's delay between the time a restaurant inspection report is entered into the database and when the new information will appear on the Web site. Restaurant-smoking-status information can be updated more quickly.
Contact Tammie Smith at (804) 649-6572 or TLsmith@timesdispatch.com.
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Consumers looking for a smoke-free place to have a meal can find that information on the Virginia Department of Health's restaurant-inspections Web site.
The state agency recently added information on fast-food and full-service restaurants' smoking policies.
To check a restaurant's most recent health inspection or its smoking status, go to www.vdh.virginia.gov and click on restaurant inspections.
"During the last couple of years, there have been several bills in the General Assembly that haven't made it through that ban smoking in restaurants," said Gary Hagy, food and environmental services division director at the state Health Department. "That has created a lot of interest by the public. We have gotten letters expressing the desire for restaurants to be nonsmoking. So we decided the least we could do is get some information out."
Hagy said there was already a category to indicate a restaurant's smoking status in the databases used to compile information on inspections.
"We asked our vendor to figure out a way to put this on the Web in a meaningful manner," Hagy said .
The new information indicates whether a facility bans smoking, permits it in designated areas or permits it anywhere on premises. The site also tells consumers what percentage of a locality's fast food and full-service eating establishments are smoke-free. For instance, Richmond, Henrico County and Chesterfield County show 57 percent, 69 percent and 54 percent of restaurants smoke-free, respectively.
Since 2003, the state Health Department's Web site has included food-safety information about restaurants and other food-service facilities based on the more than 60,000 unannounced restaurant inspections done in a year.
State officials say consumers can expect about a week's delay between the time a restaurant inspection report is entered into the database and when the new information will appear on the Web site. Restaurant-smoking-status information can be updated more quickly.
Contact Tammie Smith at (804) 649-6572 or TLsmith@timesdispatch.com.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Virginia's Investment in Tobacco Prevention is Delivering Dramatic Results and Should be Expanded
Statement of William V. Corr, Executive Director, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new survey of youth tobacco use in Virginia shows that the state has made great progress in keeping kids from smoking, underscoring once again that tobacco prevention is a smart investment for Virginia's physical and financial health. The Youth Tobacco Survey found a dramatic 28.6 percent decline in high school smoking over two years - with 15.5 percent of Virginia high school students smoking in 2007, compared with 21.7 percent in 2005. By preventing kids from ever starting to smoke, Virginia can look forward to saving lives by preventing premature, smoking-caused deaths and to saving money by reducing smoking-caused health care costs, which total more than $2 billion a year in Virginia.
This is remarkable progress in a short period of time. We applaud Governor Kaine, the Legislature and the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation for their commitment to reducing the devastating toll of tobacco use by investing in youth tobacco prevention efforts. Virginias challenge now is to build upon its progress by increasing funding for youth tobacco prevention while also investing in cessation programs to help adult smokers quit.
While the survey results represent remarkable progress, there is still much to be done in Virginia to reduce tobacco use - the number one preventable cause of death in the state and across the nation. Currently, Virginia spends $14.5 million a year on tobacco prevention and cessation, well short of the $103.2 million recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the CDC updated its recommendations for state spending in 2007). Virginia receives $320 million a year in revenue from the tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes and can achieve even greater smoking reductions by spending more of its tobacco revenue on tobacco prevention and cessation programs.
For the full story and credits: http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20080909/pl_usnw/virginia_s_investment_in_tobacco_prevention_is_delivering_dramatic_results_and_should_be_expanded
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new survey of youth tobacco use in Virginia shows that the state has made great progress in keeping kids from smoking, underscoring once again that tobacco prevention is a smart investment for Virginia's physical and financial health. The Youth Tobacco Survey found a dramatic 28.6 percent decline in high school smoking over two years - with 15.5 percent of Virginia high school students smoking in 2007, compared with 21.7 percent in 2005. By preventing kids from ever starting to smoke, Virginia can look forward to saving lives by preventing premature, smoking-caused deaths and to saving money by reducing smoking-caused health care costs, which total more than $2 billion a year in Virginia.
This is remarkable progress in a short period of time. We applaud Governor Kaine, the Legislature and the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation for their commitment to reducing the devastating toll of tobacco use by investing in youth tobacco prevention efforts. Virginias challenge now is to build upon its progress by increasing funding for youth tobacco prevention while also investing in cessation programs to help adult smokers quit.
While the survey results represent remarkable progress, there is still much to be done in Virginia to reduce tobacco use - the number one preventable cause of death in the state and across the nation. Currently, Virginia spends $14.5 million a year on tobacco prevention and cessation, well short of the $103.2 million recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the CDC updated its recommendations for state spending in 2007). Virginia receives $320 million a year in revenue from the tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes and can achieve even greater smoking reductions by spending more of its tobacco revenue on tobacco prevention and cessation programs.
For the full story and credits: http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20080909/pl_usnw/virginia_s_investment_in_tobacco_prevention_is_delivering_dramatic_results_and_should_be_expanded
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Submit an Abstract for Presentation at the 2009 National Conference!
You are invited to submit abstracts online for presentation at the 2009 National Conference on Tobacco or Health, June 10–12, in Phoenix, AZ!The purpose of the National Conference on Tobacco or Health is to improve and sustain the effectiveness and reach of tobacco control programs and activities in the United States. Whether you are a student, program manager, researcher, or seasoned advocate; or whether you work at the local, state, or national level, the 2009 National Conference welcomes your abstract submission(s).
We are seeking papers addressing twelve program areas:
Cessation
Communication and Media
Evaluation and Surveillance
Increasing Diversity / Eliminating Disparities
International Tobacco Control
Legal Issues
Nicotine and the Science of Addiction
Non-Cigarette Tobacco and Nicotine Products
Tobacco Control Movement—Skills Building
Tobacco Control Policies
Tobacco Industry
Youth
The abstract submission deadline is November 14, 2008.
We are seeking papers addressing twelve program areas:
Cessation
Communication and Media
Evaluation and Surveillance
Increasing Diversity / Eliminating Disparities
International Tobacco Control
Legal Issues
Nicotine and the Science of Addiction
Non-Cigarette Tobacco and Nicotine Products
Tobacco Control Movement—Skills Building
Tobacco Control Policies
Tobacco Industry
Youth
The abstract submission deadline is November 14, 2008.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
A Special Youth Scholarship Opportunity from Prevention Connections!
VTSF's nonprofit sister organization, Prevention Connections, is seeking nominations for its first annual Virginia Youth Advocate of the Year Award! We're looking for outstanding rising high school seniors who are making a difference in youth tobacco-use prevention and reduction in Virginia. The award includes a $2,500 college scholarship! Nominations must be received by Sept. 12. The winner will be announced on Sept. 24 at VTSF's annual grantee conference at the Newport News Marriott.
Download the Nomination Form
Download the Nomination Form
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
New Study Finds California’s Tobacco Control Program Has Saved Billions in Medical Costs
Shows Why States Should Increase Funding for Such Programs
Statement of William V. Corr
Executive Director, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Washington, DC (August 26, 2008) – A new scientific study being published this week finds that California’s state tobacco control program saved $86 billion (in 2004 dollars) in personal health care costs in its first 15 years and provides important new evidence for states to increase spending on tobacco prevention and cessation programs. This study demonstrates powerfully that state tobacco prevention and cessation programs are smart, cost-effective investments that not only improve health and save lives, but also save money by dramatically reducing health care costs for government, businesses and families. It should spur states to significantly increase funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs with the $25 billion in revenue they collect each year from the tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes.
The new study was conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, and published in the August 25, 2008, online issue of the peer-reviewed medical journal PLoS Medicine (published by the Public Library of Science, or PLoS). Between 1989, when the state-funded California Tobacco Control Program began, and 2004, when the study ended, the program saved $86 billion in personal health care costs, while the state spent $1.8 billion on the program, for a 50-to-1 return on investment, according to the study. The program prevented 3.6 billion packs of cigarettes from being smoked during this period, the researchers found.
These dramatic cost savings came even as funding for California’s tobacco control program was reduced substantially in the mid-1990s. If funding had remained consistent with the program’s early years, California’s total health care cost savings could have reached $156 billion, according to the researchers. The researchers attribute the savings to declines in tobacco-related diseases in California, especially heart disease, cancer and lung diseases, that have far exceeded national declines.
The California study adds to the already overwhelming evidence from scientific studies and states’ results that tobacco prevention and cessation programs work to reduce smoking among both youth and adults, save lives and save money. Just last week, the National Cancer Institute issued a comprehensive, 684-page report, titled The Role of the Media in Promoting and Reducing Tobacco Use, that concluded that mass media campaigns are effective at reducing tobacco use, especially when combined with school and community programs. The NCI report found that such programs can change youth attitudes about tobacco use, prevent youth from starting to smoke and encourage adult cessation.
This overwhelming evidence that state tobacco prevention and cessation programs work and deliver so many health and financial benefits leaves elected leaders with no excuse for failing to fund such programs in every state at levels recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite the success of these cost-effective programs, too often they have been among the first targets for budget cuts whenever states have faced budget deficits, as they do now. This new study shows why states should increase funding for tobacco prevention programs and why cutting funding for them is penny-wise and pound-foolish. The decision to properly fund these programs should be an easy one:
· The problem is huge and warrants urgent action. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, resulting in 400,000 premature deaths and costing the nation nearly $100 billion in health care bills each year. These expenditures include $65 billion under state and federal health care programs such as Medicaid, amounting to hidden tax of $575 on every American household.
· We know the solution works. Comprehensive, well-funded state tobacco prevention and cessation programs are highly effective, especially when combined with higher tobacco taxes and smoke-free workplace laws.
· States have the revenue. The states will collect about $25 billion this year in revenue from the tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes. It would take just 15 percent of this revenue for each state to fund a tobacco prevention and cessation program at the CDC’s recommended levels. Right now, the states are spending less than 3 percent.
· The public supports it. Poll after poll shows that Americans strongly believe tobacco settlement and tax dollars should be spent on tobacco prevention.
Despite the overwhelming evidence that state tobacco prevention and cessation programs are highly effective when they are funded appropriately, only three states currently fund these programs at even the minimum level recommended by the CDC (www.tobaccofreekids.org/reports/settlements/). This is part of the reason that declines in both youth and adult smoking in the United States have stalled in recent years. With the tobacco companies spending more $13.4 billion per year marketing their deadly products, it is imperative that state leaders act now to fund programs that we know work to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit.
To viewUCSF's press release: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/18444
Toview the full study: http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0050178
Statement of William V. Corr
Executive Director, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Washington, DC (August 26, 2008) – A new scientific study being published this week finds that California’s state tobacco control program saved $86 billion (in 2004 dollars) in personal health care costs in its first 15 years and provides important new evidence for states to increase spending on tobacco prevention and cessation programs. This study demonstrates powerfully that state tobacco prevention and cessation programs are smart, cost-effective investments that not only improve health and save lives, but also save money by dramatically reducing health care costs for government, businesses and families. It should spur states to significantly increase funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs with the $25 billion in revenue they collect each year from the tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes.
The new study was conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, and published in the August 25, 2008, online issue of the peer-reviewed medical journal PLoS Medicine (published by the Public Library of Science, or PLoS). Between 1989, when the state-funded California Tobacco Control Program began, and 2004, when the study ended, the program saved $86 billion in personal health care costs, while the state spent $1.8 billion on the program, for a 50-to-1 return on investment, according to the study. The program prevented 3.6 billion packs of cigarettes from being smoked during this period, the researchers found.
These dramatic cost savings came even as funding for California’s tobacco control program was reduced substantially in the mid-1990s. If funding had remained consistent with the program’s early years, California’s total health care cost savings could have reached $156 billion, according to the researchers. The researchers attribute the savings to declines in tobacco-related diseases in California, especially heart disease, cancer and lung diseases, that have far exceeded national declines.
The California study adds to the already overwhelming evidence from scientific studies and states’ results that tobacco prevention and cessation programs work to reduce smoking among both youth and adults, save lives and save money. Just last week, the National Cancer Institute issued a comprehensive, 684-page report, titled The Role of the Media in Promoting and Reducing Tobacco Use, that concluded that mass media campaigns are effective at reducing tobacco use, especially when combined with school and community programs. The NCI report found that such programs can change youth attitudes about tobacco use, prevent youth from starting to smoke and encourage adult cessation.
This overwhelming evidence that state tobacco prevention and cessation programs work and deliver so many health and financial benefits leaves elected leaders with no excuse for failing to fund such programs in every state at levels recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite the success of these cost-effective programs, too often they have been among the first targets for budget cuts whenever states have faced budget deficits, as they do now. This new study shows why states should increase funding for tobacco prevention programs and why cutting funding for them is penny-wise and pound-foolish. The decision to properly fund these programs should be an easy one:
· The problem is huge and warrants urgent action. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, resulting in 400,000 premature deaths and costing the nation nearly $100 billion in health care bills each year. These expenditures include $65 billion under state and federal health care programs such as Medicaid, amounting to hidden tax of $575 on every American household.
· We know the solution works. Comprehensive, well-funded state tobacco prevention and cessation programs are highly effective, especially when combined with higher tobacco taxes and smoke-free workplace laws.
· States have the revenue. The states will collect about $25 billion this year in revenue from the tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes. It would take just 15 percent of this revenue for each state to fund a tobacco prevention and cessation program at the CDC’s recommended levels. Right now, the states are spending less than 3 percent.
· The public supports it. Poll after poll shows that Americans strongly believe tobacco settlement and tax dollars should be spent on tobacco prevention.
Despite the overwhelming evidence that state tobacco prevention and cessation programs are highly effective when they are funded appropriately, only three states currently fund these programs at even the minimum level recommended by the CDC (www.tobaccofreekids.org/reports/settlements/). This is part of the reason that declines in both youth and adult smoking in the United States have stalled in recent years. With the tobacco companies spending more $13.4 billion per year marketing their deadly products, it is imperative that state leaders act now to fund programs that we know work to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit.
To viewUCSF's press release: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/18444
Toview the full study: http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0050178
Monday, August 11, 2008
Study Affirms Health Benefits of Smoking Bans
A study in this week's New England Journal of Medicine suggests that public smoking bans can significantly reduce hospital admissions for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), particularly among nonsmokers, the Wall Street Journal reports. To determine how such bans affect public health, a team of Scottish researchers collected information on smoking status and exposure from patients admitted to any of nine Scottish hospitals for ACS in the 10 months preceding the March 2006 enactment of a law that banned smoking in all enclosed public spaces throughout the country. They then compared those results against information collected during the same period the next year. Between the two study periods, the number of hospitalizations for ACS decreased by 17 percent, from 3,235 patients to 2,684 patients, with 67 percent of the reduction attributed to nonsmokers. In comparison, hospital admissions for ACS in Scotland had fallen by an average of only 3 percent annually during the decade preceding the study. Examining the study results by smoking status, the researchers found that ACS admissions following the smoking ban decreased by 14 percent among smokers, 19 percent among former smokers and 21 percent among people who had never smoked. In addition, people who had never smoked reported a decrease in exposure to secondhand smoke following the ban's enactment. Researchers then confirmed those reports through blood and saliva tests for cotinine, a metabolic product of nicotine. Based on their findings, the researchers conclude that public smoking bans improve health, particularly in terms of ACS risk. U.S. public health experts, meanwhile, called the results the strongest evidence to date of this benefit, and the director of the Community Health Program at Tufts University and the president of Americans for Nonsmokers Rights said the study "should add considerable oomph to the pressure for smoking bans" elsewhere (Singer-Vine, Wall Street Journal, 7/31/08 [subscription required]; Pell et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 7/31/08 [subscription required]).
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Tobacco Technical Assistance Consortium Fundementals of Evaluation Web Based Course
Introduction
Many public health programs do tremendous work, yet do not have their accomplishments fully recognized by the public, by other health professionals, or even by the people who benefit from the programs. Why?Because programs lack data to demonstrate their success.
So what can you do about it?Evaluate! Create an opportunity to show funders, local leaders, supporters, the public, and staff your program’s accomplishments. Evaluation results can not only make the case for funding, but can also keep a program on course to meet its goals efficiently and effectively.
TTAC can help.TTAC presents its Fundamentals of Evaluation Web-based Course - an interactive, distance-learning program designed to cover the core concepts of evaluation. The information provided will help you understand the importance of evaluating a program, what to expect from your evaluation efforts, and what is involved in program evaluation from planning to reporting results. As you progress through the course, you will have access to valuable resources and evaluation experts who will provide feedback during the learning process.
Who should take this course?YOU! The workshop is designed for public health workers with a desire or need to gain a better understanding of evaluation and evaluation planning. Whether you will be completing an evaluation, planning one, assisting with an evaluation, or choosing an evaluator, it is valuable to understand the Fundamentals of Evaluation.
When? Fundamentals of Evaluation starts September 2, 2008. The course continues for 12 weeks and concludes November 21, 2008. The course contains 7 modules; each module is covered in two weeks and requires a commitment of between 3 and 5 hours for learning activities.
A web-based course? This web-based program is an interactive experience involving lessons with visual aids, group discussion, self-assessments, and individual learning activities designed to apply the concepts covered in each module. Because web-based learning may be a new method of learning for the user, the first module focuses on navigating the online learning environment.
Registration fee is $500.
Register now and begin your journey to understanding and applying the Fundamentals of Evaluation.
Many public health programs do tremendous work, yet do not have their accomplishments fully recognized by the public, by other health professionals, or even by the people who benefit from the programs. Why?Because programs lack data to demonstrate their success.
So what can you do about it?Evaluate! Create an opportunity to show funders, local leaders, supporters, the public, and staff your program’s accomplishments. Evaluation results can not only make the case for funding, but can also keep a program on course to meet its goals efficiently and effectively.
TTAC can help.TTAC presents its Fundamentals of Evaluation Web-based Course - an interactive, distance-learning program designed to cover the core concepts of evaluation. The information provided will help you understand the importance of evaluating a program, what to expect from your evaluation efforts, and what is involved in program evaluation from planning to reporting results. As you progress through the course, you will have access to valuable resources and evaluation experts who will provide feedback during the learning process.
Who should take this course?YOU! The workshop is designed for public health workers with a desire or need to gain a better understanding of evaluation and evaluation planning. Whether you will be completing an evaluation, planning one, assisting with an evaluation, or choosing an evaluator, it is valuable to understand the Fundamentals of Evaluation.
When? Fundamentals of Evaluation starts September 2, 2008. The course continues for 12 weeks and concludes November 21, 2008. The course contains 7 modules; each module is covered in two weeks and requires a commitment of between 3 and 5 hours for learning activities.
A web-based course? This web-based program is an interactive experience involving lessons with visual aids, group discussion, self-assessments, and individual learning activities designed to apply the concepts covered in each module. Because web-based learning may be a new method of learning for the user, the first module focuses on navigating the online learning environment.
Registration fee is $500.
Register now and begin your journey to understanding and applying the Fundamentals of Evaluation.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Cancer Plan Action Coalition presents: VIRGINIA CANCER CONFERENCE
Mark your calendar for a very exciting conference you don’t want to miss!
Virginia’s First Comprehensive Statewide Cancer Conference
“JOINING THE RACE TO CONQUER CANCER”
Registration and agenda will be available at http://www.cmevillage.com/
When & Where:
Thursday and Friday, November 20-21, 2008
Doubletree Hotel,
990 Hilton Heights Road,
Charlottesville, Virginia, 22901
Call (434) 973-2121 by October 29 for CPAC Room Reservations
Registration Fees:
Registrations prior to September 30th: $50
Registrations after September 30th: $75
Credits:
1.2 CEUs
Who should attend?
This conference is for healthcare professionals, community leaders, public health
professionals, policy makers and the general public.
■ Come listen to keynote speaker Steven Patierno,
Executive Director of The GW Cancer Institute
■ Attend sessions with national speakers
■ Learn about the Virginia Cancer Plan 2008-2012
■ Get practical information about cancer
■ Networking opportunities
For more information contact:
Lucie Ferguson: lucie_ferguson@bshsi.org
Nila Saliba: ns7e@virginia.edu
Rachel Schmidt: rachel.schmidt@comcast.net
Virginia’s First Comprehensive Statewide Cancer Conference
“JOINING THE RACE TO CONQUER CANCER”
Registration and agenda will be available at http://www.cmevillage.com/
When & Where:
Thursday and Friday, November 20-21, 2008
Doubletree Hotel,
990 Hilton Heights Road,
Charlottesville, Virginia, 22901
Call (434) 973-2121 by October 29 for CPAC Room Reservations
Registration Fees:
Registrations prior to September 30th: $50
Registrations after September 30th: $75
Credits:
1.2 CEUs
Who should attend?
This conference is for healthcare professionals, community leaders, public health
professionals, policy makers and the general public.
■ Come listen to keynote speaker Steven Patierno,
Executive Director of The GW Cancer Institute
■ Attend sessions with national speakers
■ Learn about the Virginia Cancer Plan 2008-2012
■ Get practical information about cancer
■ Networking opportunities
For more information contact:
Lucie Ferguson: lucie_ferguson@bshsi.org
Nila Saliba: ns7e@virginia.edu
Rachel Schmidt: rachel.schmidt@comcast.net
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Alicia Keys asks cigarette maker to stop branding show
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -- Philip Morris International has pulled down billboards and posters promoting an Alicia Keys concert Thursday in Indonesia's capital after the singer protested the cigarette company's sponsorship.
The logo and slogans of A Mild cigarettes, produced by a Philip Morris affiliate, featured prominently in promotional materials for the concert.
The Washington-based Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids anti-smoking organization initially drew Keys' attention to the company's association with the show.
In a letter released by her record company, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Keys said she had asked the company to stop the branding
"I am an unyielding advocate for the well-being of children around the world and do not condone or endorse smoking," she said.
Philip Morris International did not say whether it was demanding its money back, nor would it reveal how much it had paid to sponsor the event.
"Whether tobacco sponsorship of music events leads to youth smoking is a matter of serious debate," the company said in a statement received Thursday. "Having considered the facts in this specific instance, we have decided to withdraw all branding associated with this concert."
For the full story: http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/07/31/keys.cigarettes.ap/index.html
The logo and slogans of A Mild cigarettes, produced by a Philip Morris affiliate, featured prominently in promotional materials for the concert.
The Washington-based Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids anti-smoking organization initially drew Keys' attention to the company's association with the show.
In a letter released by her record company, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Keys said she had asked the company to stop the branding
"I am an unyielding advocate for the well-being of children around the world and do not condone or endorse smoking," she said.
Philip Morris International did not say whether it was demanding its money back, nor would it reveal how much it had paid to sponsor the event.
"Whether tobacco sponsorship of music events leads to youth smoking is a matter of serious debate," the company said in a statement received Thursday. "Having considered the facts in this specific instance, we have decided to withdraw all branding associated with this concert."
For the full story: http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/07/31/keys.cigarettes.ap/index.html
Tobacco regulation passes House
By NEIL H. SIMON
MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE
Cigarettes would be subject to government regulation for the first time ever under a bill passed yesterday by the U.S. House.
But the bill, which passed with a veto-proof 326-102 vote, now faces an uphill climb in the Senate, where a similar bill has been stalled since last August.
Rep. Eric I. Cantor, R-7th, said the bill (HR 1108) would encourage work to make tobacco products -- blamed for killing about 400,000 Americans a year -- less harmful. He said the bill would protect the 5,600 Richmond-area jobs supplied by Philip Morris USA.
"The net result to all of us will be to increase the health outlook for consumers of tobacco," said Cantor, the top House recipient of tobacco-industry campaign contributions.
M. Cass Wheeler, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association, said: "You don't start celebrating when the ball is on the 10-yard line. This will all be for nothing if we don't score a touchdown with a win in the Senate."
The legislation, which has divided the tobacco industry, would give the Food and Drug Administration the power to curtail marketing further; control nicotine levels; and enlarge government warning labels on all tobacco products.
Philip Morris USA, the nation's leading cigarette manufacturer, is the only cigarette maker to support the FDA regulation bill publicly.
"We think today's vote by the House of Representatives is an important step forward on this legislation," said Bill Phelps, a spokesman for Henrico County-based Altria Group, the parent company of Philip Morris USA.
"Such regulation could benefit consumers, shareholders and other stakeholders."
Three of Virginia's 11 members of Congress voted against the bill: Reps. J. Randy Forbes, R-4th, Virgil H. Goode Jr., R-5th, and Robert W. Goodlatte, R-6th.
The bill -- dubbed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act -- would ban most flavored cigarettes, except for menthol.
For the full story: http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-07-31-0145.html
MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE
Cigarettes would be subject to government regulation for the first time ever under a bill passed yesterday by the U.S. House.
But the bill, which passed with a veto-proof 326-102 vote, now faces an uphill climb in the Senate, where a similar bill has been stalled since last August.
Rep. Eric I. Cantor, R-7th, said the bill (HR 1108) would encourage work to make tobacco products -- blamed for killing about 400,000 Americans a year -- less harmful. He said the bill would protect the 5,600 Richmond-area jobs supplied by Philip Morris USA.
"The net result to all of us will be to increase the health outlook for consumers of tobacco," said Cantor, the top House recipient of tobacco-industry campaign contributions.
M. Cass Wheeler, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association, said: "You don't start celebrating when the ball is on the 10-yard line. This will all be for nothing if we don't score a touchdown with a win in the Senate."
The legislation, which has divided the tobacco industry, would give the Food and Drug Administration the power to curtail marketing further; control nicotine levels; and enlarge government warning labels on all tobacco products.
Philip Morris USA, the nation's leading cigarette manufacturer, is the only cigarette maker to support the FDA regulation bill publicly.
"We think today's vote by the House of Representatives is an important step forward on this legislation," said Bill Phelps, a spokesman for Henrico County-based Altria Group, the parent company of Philip Morris USA.
"Such regulation could benefit consumers, shareholders and other stakeholders."
Three of Virginia's 11 members of Congress voted against the bill: Reps. J. Randy Forbes, R-4th, Virgil H. Goode Jr., R-5th, and Robert W. Goodlatte, R-6th.
The bill -- dubbed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act -- would ban most flavored cigarettes, except for menthol.
For the full story: http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-07-31-0145.html
Monday, July 28, 2008
Request for Proposals #852P010
Three-Year Grants for Tobacco Use Prevention & Cessation Programs for Youth:
Expected Issue Date: Aug. 8
Proposal Due Date: Oct. 8
Mandatory Proposal Development Trainings:
Sept. 3: Blacksburg
Sept. 5: Portsmouth
Sept. 8: Richmond
Sept. 10: Chantilly
Visit the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation Web site on Aug. 8 to download a copy of RFP#852P010.
Or e-mail Eloise Burke to have a copy of the RFP mailed or e-mailed to you.
Expected Issue Date: Aug. 8
Proposal Due Date: Oct. 8
Mandatory Proposal Development Trainings:
Sept. 3: Blacksburg
Sept. 5: Portsmouth
Sept. 8: Richmond
Sept. 10: Chantilly
Visit the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation Web site on Aug. 8 to download a copy of RFP#852P010.
Or e-mail Eloise Burke to have a copy of the RFP mailed or e-mailed to you.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Smoking a tough addiction, teens discover
Study finds some are vulnerable from the first puff - but kids naively think it will be easy to quit habit.
CHARLIE FIDELMAN, The Gazette
Within months of their first puff, most teen smokers struggle to stop smoking but can't .
A Université de Montréal study mapping the stepping stones to tobacco addiction shows the process has definite stages and starts even earlier than believed.
Lead author, epidemiologist Jennifer O'Loughlin, found that most adolescent smokers were naive about their ability to quit.
Many made a first serious attempt to quit after 21/2 months of sporadic smoking - and most failed. Cravings and withdrawal symptoms grew, along with discouragement.
"And by the time they've smoked for 21 months they have lost confidence in their ability to quit," O'Loughlin said.
"As soon as they experience craving, the story is over. They're on the trajectory to becoming an adult smoker."
Despite early and increasingly difficult efforts to quit, it took about three years for the young smokers to realize they could not stop smoking of their own free will.
Find full story here: http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=4837e433-2a9d-46ce-a4d9-ab95d1312fa0
CHARLIE FIDELMAN, The Gazette
Within months of their first puff, most teen smokers struggle to stop smoking but can't .
A Université de Montréal study mapping the stepping stones to tobacco addiction shows the process has definite stages and starts even earlier than believed.
Lead author, epidemiologist Jennifer O'Loughlin, found that most adolescent smokers were naive about their ability to quit.
Many made a first serious attempt to quit after 21/2 months of sporadic smoking - and most failed. Cravings and withdrawal symptoms grew, along with discouragement.
"And by the time they've smoked for 21 months they have lost confidence in their ability to quit," O'Loughlin said.
"As soon as they experience craving, the story is over. They're on the trajectory to becoming an adult smoker."
Despite early and increasingly difficult efforts to quit, it took about three years for the young smokers to realize they could not stop smoking of their own free will.
Find full story here: http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=4837e433-2a9d-46ce-a4d9-ab95d1312fa0
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Community Builders Network of Virginia Conference
Community Builders Network of Virginia
5th Annual Statewide Conference
August 21-23, 2008
The Community Builders Network of Virginia is conducting their 5th Annual Conference at the OMNI Richmond Hotel. Many interesting and helpful topics will be addressed such as:
Building Youth Leaders
The How & Why of Program Evaluation
Impact on Violence on Children & Youth
Speakers such as Dr. Ted Miller and Dr. Steve Ridini
Take advantage of this education opportunity and visit the link below.
http://www.123signup.com/calendar?Org=NetworkVA
5th Annual Statewide Conference
August 21-23, 2008
The Community Builders Network of Virginia is conducting their 5th Annual Conference at the OMNI Richmond Hotel. Many interesting and helpful topics will be addressed such as:
Building Youth Leaders
The How & Why of Program Evaluation
Impact on Violence on Children & Youth
Speakers such as Dr. Ted Miller and Dr. Steve Ridini
Take advantage of this education opportunity and visit the link below.
http://www.123signup.com/calendar?Org=NetworkVA
Y Street Mini-Grants Applications Due July 31st
Applications for twelve $2,000 Y Street Mini-Grants are steadily coming in, and will continue to be accepted until July 31st. Y Street is the youth-led advocacy brand that supports the VTSF’s marketing campaign and has over 2000 members statewide. The Y Street Mini-Grants will begin to be awarded this September. To download the grant application or learn more, go to www.ystreet.org/grants.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
The 9th Annual truth® Summer Grassroots Tour in VA
Jennifer Bramble, Manager, Collaboration and Outreach,
American Legacy Foundation
The truth tour continues to be one of the most important means of bringing the truth youth smoking campaign to the nation’s teens. The nationwide tour features two truth crews (and their signature orange “truth trucks”) who will make over 60 stops across 30 states, interacting with local youth and sharing information about the ill-effects of tobacco products as well as tobacco industry marketing practices.
This year’s tour will appear at some of the summer’s hottest teen-oriented events including VANS WARPED, Tony Hawk’s Boom Boom Huck Jam, an action sports extravaganza featuring Tony Hawk the skateboarding legend, and Rock The Bells 2008 an international hip hop festival.
Additionally, the summer program is featured online at www.thetruth.com with details on upcoming events, tour stops, information on crew members and DJs.
American Legacy Foundation
The truth tour continues to be one of the most important means of bringing the truth youth smoking campaign to the nation’s teens. The nationwide tour features two truth crews (and their signature orange “truth trucks”) who will make over 60 stops across 30 states, interacting with local youth and sharing information about the ill-effects of tobacco products as well as tobacco industry marketing practices.
This year’s tour will appear at some of the summer’s hottest teen-oriented events including VANS WARPED, Tony Hawk’s Boom Boom Huck Jam, an action sports extravaganza featuring Tony Hawk the skateboarding legend, and Rock The Bells 2008 an international hip hop festival.
Additionally, the summer program is featured online at www.thetruth.com with details on upcoming events, tour stops, information on crew members and DJs.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Smoking linked to mid-life memory loss: study
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Smoking apparently presents an increased risk for memory loss in people at mid-life, a new study released Monday found.
The study by Severine Sabia and colleagues of France's Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale reviewed data from 10,308 London-based civil servants age 35 to 55 who took part in a study between 1985 and 1988.
The researchers said that they found strong links between smoking and cognitive and memory problems later in life.
"First, smoking in middle age is associated with memory deficit and decline in reasoning abilities," they wrote in a report in the June 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine
"Second, long-term ex-smokers are less likely to have cognitive deficits in memory, vocabulary and verbal fluency.
"Third, giving up smoking in midlife is accompanied by improvement in other health behaviors.
"Fourth, our results ... suggest that the association between smoking and cognition, even in late midlife, could be underestimated because of higher risk of death and non-participation in cognitive tests among smokers."
The authors stressed that "the results are important because individuals with cognitive impairment in midlife may progress to dementia at a faster rate."
"During the past 20 years, public health messages about smoking have led to changes in smoking behavior," they wrote.
"Public health messages on smoking should continue to target smokers of all ages."
The study by Severine Sabia and colleagues of France's Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale reviewed data from 10,308 London-based civil servants age 35 to 55 who took part in a study between 1985 and 1988.
The researchers said that they found strong links between smoking and cognitive and memory problems later in life.
"First, smoking in middle age is associated with memory deficit and decline in reasoning abilities," they wrote in a report in the June 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine
"Second, long-term ex-smokers are less likely to have cognitive deficits in memory, vocabulary and verbal fluency.
"Third, giving up smoking in midlife is accompanied by improvement in other health behaviors.
"Fourth, our results ... suggest that the association between smoking and cognition, even in late midlife, could be underestimated because of higher risk of death and non-participation in cognitive tests among smokers."
The authors stressed that "the results are important because individuals with cognitive impairment in midlife may progress to dementia at a faster rate."
"During the past 20 years, public health messages about smoking have led to changes in smoking behavior," they wrote.
"Public health messages on smoking should continue to target smokers of all ages."
Monday, June 9, 2008
LCAT Fellowship Opportunity
LCAT established a fellowship program in 2001 that addresses the leadership shortage at the community level in Hispanic/Latino tobacco prevention and control.
The purpose of the Fellows Program is to create a trained cadre of Hispanic/Latino prevention and control advocates capable of increasing public awareness and changing public policies in communities throughout the United States.
The Fellows are trained, in part, through an intensive two-day leadership institute and participation in a two-day tobacco conference. Ongoing education and training occurs through regularly scheduled conference calls with other Fellows and Fellows’ Team Leaders and through teleconferences conducted by LCAT.
Following their initial training, LCAT Fellows either create or join existing tobacco prevention and control networks in their communities where they develop and implement year-long Individual Action Plans to promote prevention and control.
If you have questions please contact Marcy Lopez at 212.334.5738
For a copy of the application, please contact Henry Harper, hharper@vtsf.org
The purpose of the Fellows Program is to create a trained cadre of Hispanic/Latino prevention and control advocates capable of increasing public awareness and changing public policies in communities throughout the United States.
The Fellows are trained, in part, through an intensive two-day leadership institute and participation in a two-day tobacco conference. Ongoing education and training occurs through regularly scheduled conference calls with other Fellows and Fellows’ Team Leaders and through teleconferences conducted by LCAT.
Following their initial training, LCAT Fellows either create or join existing tobacco prevention and control networks in their communities where they develop and implement year-long Individual Action Plans to promote prevention and control.
If you have questions please contact Marcy Lopez at 212.334.5738
For a copy of the application, please contact Henry Harper, hharper@vtsf.org
Special Alert: The Fight Back Express Bus is Coming to Virginia!
Come See the ACS CAN Fight Back Express and the Smoke-Free Sidekick
In May, the ACS CAN Fight Back Express launched its nationwide bus tour to empower all Americans to fight back against cancer. While in Virginia, the Fight Back Express will be accompanied by the Smoke-Free Sidekick which is building support for smoke-free workplaces in Virginia.
Next week the Fight Back Express and Smoke-Free Sidekick will be stopping in Virginia!
Roanoke—June 9
Charlottesville—June 9
Fredericksburg—June 9
Richmond—June 10
Virginia Beach—June 10
Yorktown—June 11
Find out when and where the Fight Back Express and Smoke-Free Sidekick are coming to your community by visiting the Events page at acscan.org/bus.
Sign the Bus!
All attendees at every bus stop will have the opportunity to sign the bus, becoming part of the nationwide grassroots movement that is working to make cancer issues a national priority.
In addition to signing the Fight Back Express, participants will be able to:
Join or donate to ACS CAN and get a limited edition ACS CAN Fight Back Express lapel pin
Sign the ACS CAN access to health care petition that will be delivered to the next President
Complete an electronic Picture A Cure
Get your picture taken with the bus
ACS CAN is fighting back and wants you to be part of this unique and exciting adventure. Visit the Events page at acscan.org/bus to find out when the Bus is coming to your community.
In May, the ACS CAN Fight Back Express launched its nationwide bus tour to empower all Americans to fight back against cancer. While in Virginia, the Fight Back Express will be accompanied by the Smoke-Free Sidekick which is building support for smoke-free workplaces in Virginia.
Next week the Fight Back Express and Smoke-Free Sidekick will be stopping in Virginia!
Roanoke—June 9
Charlottesville—June 9
Fredericksburg—June 9
Richmond—June 10
Virginia Beach—June 10
Yorktown—June 11
Find out when and where the Fight Back Express and Smoke-Free Sidekick are coming to your community by visiting the Events page at acscan.org/bus.
Sign the Bus!
All attendees at every bus stop will have the opportunity to sign the bus, becoming part of the nationwide grassroots movement that is working to make cancer issues a national priority.
In addition to signing the Fight Back Express, participants will be able to:
Join or donate to ACS CAN and get a limited edition ACS CAN Fight Back Express lapel pin
Sign the ACS CAN access to health care petition that will be delivered to the next President
Complete an electronic Picture A Cure
Get your picture taken with the bus
ACS CAN is fighting back and wants you to be part of this unique and exciting adventure. Visit the Events page at acscan.org/bus to find out when the Bus is coming to your community.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
N.Y.'s cigarette tax climbs to nation's highest
June 3, 2008
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
Convenience stores across the state and the smokers who will be paying the price are angry about the change, but health officials hail the tax increase as a success. Cigarette taxes will raise a total of $1.3 billion for the state budget in fiscal year 2008-2009, including the new tax.
''Isn't that something -- to say that I'm excited about a tax increase? But I am,'' said Dr. Richard Daines, the New York health commissioner. ''This is a public health victory. We know one of the really effective tools to get people off of their nicotine addiction is to the raise the price.''
RELATED STORIES Kicking some ash Smokers will be paying $2.75 per pack in state taxes, a jump from the previous tax of $1.50. Before the new tax, the average price of a pack of cigarettes was $5.82 statewide, and about $8 a pack in New York City, which levies its own taxes, Daines said. The new retail price for a pack in the city could now soar past $10 depending on the store.
An estimated 140,000 New Yorkers will stop smoking with this tax increase, Daines said. That number is based on prior tax increases and cigarette consumption.
''Youth are particularly sensitive to the price of cigarettes, so this price increase is expected to prevent 243,000 youth from smoking,'' Daines said.
Daines said the tax increase is just one part of an $83 million anti-smoking effort that includes advertising and public service announcements, attempts to get tobacco consumption out of youth rated movies and cessation centers around the state.
''What we really want people to do is not to pay the price, but to stop smoking,'' he said.
Audrey Silk, who heads NYC Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment, said it's ridiculous to expect smokers to quit just because the price is climbing. She switched to rolling her own cigarettes since the last New York City tax increase and suggests other smokers will find similar ways to satisfy nicotine cravings.
''No product has a tax at this rate on it,'' Silk said. ''If there was, there would be screaming, but since we've been beaten into submission and nobody listens to us, what else is there to do? It's unjustifiable and you turn to alternatives, and any consumer group would do the same.''
Convenience stores, which historically count on cigarette sales, have also objected to the tax, saying it will drive smokers -- and dollars -- elsewhere.
''The tax increase is only going to feed that epidemic,'' said Jim Calvin, president of the New York Association of Convenience Stores. ''More and more smokers in New York state are going to abandon our stores that have to charge the tax and shift their purchases to places that don't charge the tax, most notably Native American stores, the Internet and bootleggers.''
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
Convenience stores across the state and the smokers who will be paying the price are angry about the change, but health officials hail the tax increase as a success. Cigarette taxes will raise a total of $1.3 billion for the state budget in fiscal year 2008-2009, including the new tax.
''Isn't that something -- to say that I'm excited about a tax increase? But I am,'' said Dr. Richard Daines, the New York health commissioner. ''This is a public health victory. We know one of the really effective tools to get people off of their nicotine addiction is to the raise the price.''
RELATED STORIES Kicking some ash Smokers will be paying $2.75 per pack in state taxes, a jump from the previous tax of $1.50. Before the new tax, the average price of a pack of cigarettes was $5.82 statewide, and about $8 a pack in New York City, which levies its own taxes, Daines said. The new retail price for a pack in the city could now soar past $10 depending on the store.
An estimated 140,000 New Yorkers will stop smoking with this tax increase, Daines said. That number is based on prior tax increases and cigarette consumption.
''Youth are particularly sensitive to the price of cigarettes, so this price increase is expected to prevent 243,000 youth from smoking,'' Daines said.
Daines said the tax increase is just one part of an $83 million anti-smoking effort that includes advertising and public service announcements, attempts to get tobacco consumption out of youth rated movies and cessation centers around the state.
''What we really want people to do is not to pay the price, but to stop smoking,'' he said.
Audrey Silk, who heads NYC Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment, said it's ridiculous to expect smokers to quit just because the price is climbing. She switched to rolling her own cigarettes since the last New York City tax increase and suggests other smokers will find similar ways to satisfy nicotine cravings.
''No product has a tax at this rate on it,'' Silk said. ''If there was, there would be screaming, but since we've been beaten into submission and nobody listens to us, what else is there to do? It's unjustifiable and you turn to alternatives, and any consumer group would do the same.''
Convenience stores, which historically count on cigarette sales, have also objected to the tax, saying it will drive smokers -- and dollars -- elsewhere.
''The tax increase is only going to feed that epidemic,'' said Jim Calvin, president of the New York Association of Convenience Stores. ''More and more smokers in New York state are going to abandon our stores that have to charge the tax and shift their purchases to places that don't charge the tax, most notably Native American stores, the Internet and bootleggers.''
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
A new wrinkle in smoking enforcement
TOKYO (Reuters) - Cigarette vending machines in Japan may soon start counting wrinkles, crow's feet and skin sags to see if the customer is old enough to smoke.
The legal age for smoking in Japan is 20 and as the country's 570,000 tobacco vending machines prepare for a July regulation requiring them to ensure buyers are not underage, a company has developed a system to identify age by studying facial features.
By having the customer look into a digital camera attached to the machine, Fujitaka Co's system will compare facial characteristics, such as wrinkles surrounding the eyes, bone structure and skin sags, to the facial data of over 100,000 people, Hajime Yamamoto, a company spokesman said.
"With face recognition, so long as you've got some change and you are an adult, you can buy cigarettes like before. The problem of minors borrowing (identification) cards to purchase cigarettes could be avoided as well," Yamamoto said.
Japan's finance ministry has already given permission to an age-identifying smart card called "taspo" and a system that can read the age from driving licenses.
It has yet to approve the facial identification method due to concerns about its accuracy.
Yamamoto said the system could correctly identify about 90 percent of the users, with the remaining 10 percent sent to a "grey zone" for "minors that look older, and baby-faced adults," where they would be asked to insert their driving license.
Underage smoking has been on a decline in Japan, but a health ministry survey in 2004 showed 13 percent of boys and 4 percent of girls in the third year of high school -- those aged 17 to 18 -- smoked every day.
The legal age for smoking in Japan is 20 and as the country's 570,000 tobacco vending machines prepare for a July regulation requiring them to ensure buyers are not underage, a company has developed a system to identify age by studying facial features.
By having the customer look into a digital camera attached to the machine, Fujitaka Co's system will compare facial characteristics, such as wrinkles surrounding the eyes, bone structure and skin sags, to the facial data of over 100,000 people, Hajime Yamamoto, a company spokesman said.
"With face recognition, so long as you've got some change and you are an adult, you can buy cigarettes like before. The problem of minors borrowing (identification) cards to purchase cigarettes could be avoided as well," Yamamoto said.
Japan's finance ministry has already given permission to an age-identifying smart card called "taspo" and a system that can read the age from driving licenses.
It has yet to approve the facial identification method due to concerns about its accuracy.
Yamamoto said the system could correctly identify about 90 percent of the users, with the remaining 10 percent sent to a "grey zone" for "minors that look older, and baby-faced adults," where they would be asked to insert their driving license.
Underage smoking has been on a decline in Japan, but a health ministry survey in 2004 showed 13 percent of boys and 4 percent of girls in the third year of high school -- those aged 17 to 18 -- smoked every day.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Restaurant tobacco bans influence teen smoking
By STEVE LeBLANC – 15 hours ago BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts study suggests that restaurant smoking bans may play a big role in persuading teens not to become smokers. Youths who lived in towns with strict bans were 40 percent less likely to become regular smokers than those in communities with no bans or weak ones, the researchers reported in the May issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.The findings back up the idea that smoking bans discourage tobacco use in teens by sending the message that smoking is frowned upon in the community, as well as simply by reducing their exposure to smokers in public places, said Dr. Michael Siegel, of Boston University School of Public Health, and the study's lead author."When kids grow up in an environment where they don't see smoking, they are going to think it's not socially acceptable," he said. "If they perceive a lot of other people are smoking, they think it's the norm."Siegel and his colleagues tracked 2,791 children between ages 12 and 17 who lived throughout Massachusetts. There were no statewide restrictions when the study began in 2001 but about 100 cities and towns had enacted a hodgepodge of laws restricting smoking in workplaces, bars or restaurants.The teens were followed for four years to see how many tried smoking and how many eventually became smokers.Overall, about 9 percent became smokers — defined as smoking more than 100 cigarettes.In towns without bans or where smoking was restricted to a designated area, that rate was nearly 10 percent. But in places with tough bans prohibiting smoking in restaurants, just under 8 percent of the teens became smokers.The study found that having a smoker as a parent or a close friend was a factor in predicting whether children experiment with cigarettes. But strong bans had a bigger influence on whether smoking grew into a habit, reducing their chances of becoming smokers by 40 percent."There is really no other smoking intervention program that could cut almost in half the rate of smoking," Siegel said.Age was also a factor. Smoking bans had a greater effect on younger teens than on older teens.The researchers said it's not clear whether strong bans would have the same effect in other states since local towns adopted their restrictions as part of an aggressive anti-smoking campaign throughout the state.A statewide workplace smoking ban that included restaurants went into effect in mid-2004. Since then, high school smoking rates in Massachusetts have continued to decline, from about 21 percent of students in 2005 to about 18 percent in 2007.Many restaurant owners fought the ban, saying it could drive away diners, according to Janine Harrod, director of government affairs for the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, which represents 2,000 restaurant owners.While some restaurants were hurt initially, the effects have eased over time since the ban applies to everyone, she said.Bill Phelps, a spokesman for Altria, parent company of cigarette-maker Philip Morris USA, said the study shows that the reasons teens take up smoking are complex."There is no single reason why young people engage in risky behaviors like smoking," he said. "We believe that there should be a multifaceted approach to address youth smoking."At least 23 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico require most public places and workplaces, including restaurants and bars, to be smoke free, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.Another nine states ban smoking in workplaces but have various exemptions for restaurants or bars."We already have more than enough evidence why we should pass these smoke-free laws, but certainly this study should help push them along," said Danny McGoldick of the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.
Smoking still prominent on campuses nationwide
From the Tobacco Control Network website.
Although high school students are increasingly saying no to smoking, students often pick up the habit in college. According to the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 31% of full-time college students smoke, while smokers only make up 25% of the general population. College students may be at risk for smoking because of many factors, including the stress of schoolwork, peer pressure, social gatherings, and being in a new environment away from home. Hookah smoking is also a popular trend, evidenced by a recent increase in the number of hookah bars in operation nationally. Click here for the full article.
Although high school students are increasingly saying no to smoking, students often pick up the habit in college. According to the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 31% of full-time college students smoke, while smokers only make up 25% of the general population. College students may be at risk for smoking because of many factors, including the stress of schoolwork, peer pressure, social gatherings, and being in a new environment away from home. Hookah smoking is also a popular trend, evidenced by a recent increase in the number of hookah bars in operation nationally. Click here for the full article.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Virginia Kids "Kick Butts" on April 2
New Poll: Teens Still Feel Targeted By Tobacco Advertising & Find It Easy to Buy Cigarettes
WASHINGTON, DC (March 27, 2008) — Kids across Virginia will rally against tobacco on April 2 as they join thousands of young people nationwide for the 13th annual Kick Butts Day, sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Hundreds of events are planned across the nation.
This year, Kick Butts Day is raising awareness about continued tobacco marketing and sales to kids and the need for Congress to crack down on these harmful practices by passing legislation granting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate tobacco products.
Ten years after the 1998 state tobacco settlement, a new poll conducted for Kick Butts Day 2008 finds that kids still feel targeted by tobacco advertising and still find it easy to buy tobacco products. The national telephone survey of 507 teens (12-17 year olds) and 1,008 adults found:
Three-fourths of teens (74 percent) think tobacco companies want them to smoke, and 70 percent think tobacco companies target them with their advertising.
Teens are twice as likely as adults to remember tobacco advertising. While almost half (47 percent) of teens recalled tobacco advertising from the last two weeks before the survey, only 24 percent of adults did. Among teens who recalled tobacco advertising, the most commonly mentioned source was "in or outside a store."
Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of teens think it is easy for teenagers to buy tobacco products. Among 15-17 year olds, 76 percent think it is easy.
The survey was conducted March 5-10, 2008, by International Communications Research and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points for the teen survey and 3.1 percentage points for the adult survey. A report about the poll findings and the impact of tobacco marketing on youth can be found at: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/kbd2008poll
WASHINGTON, DC (March 27, 2008) — Kids across Virginia will rally against tobacco on April 2 as they join thousands of young people nationwide for the 13th annual Kick Butts Day, sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Hundreds of events are planned across the nation.
This year, Kick Butts Day is raising awareness about continued tobacco marketing and sales to kids and the need for Congress to crack down on these harmful practices by passing legislation granting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate tobacco products.
Ten years after the 1998 state tobacco settlement, a new poll conducted for Kick Butts Day 2008 finds that kids still feel targeted by tobacco advertising and still find it easy to buy tobacco products. The national telephone survey of 507 teens (12-17 year olds) and 1,008 adults found:
Three-fourths of teens (74 percent) think tobacco companies want them to smoke, and 70 percent think tobacco companies target them with their advertising.
Teens are twice as likely as adults to remember tobacco advertising. While almost half (47 percent) of teens recalled tobacco advertising from the last two weeks before the survey, only 24 percent of adults did. Among teens who recalled tobacco advertising, the most commonly mentioned source was "in or outside a store."
Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of teens think it is easy for teenagers to buy tobacco products. Among 15-17 year olds, 76 percent think it is easy.
The survey was conducted March 5-10, 2008, by International Communications Research and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points for the teen survey and 3.1 percentage points for the adult survey. A report about the poll findings and the impact of tobacco marketing on youth can be found at: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/kbd2008poll
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Updated Virginia Tobacco Use Statistics
This material is property of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and is used with permission. (View source materials)
Tobacco Use in Virginia
High school students who smoke - 21.7% (91,600)
Male high school students who use smokeless or spit tobacco - 13.3% (females use much lower)
Kids (under 18) who become new daily smokers each year - 10,800
Kids exposed to secondhand smoke at home - 336,000
Packs of cigarettes bought or smoked by kids each year - 18.4 million
Adults in Virginia who smoke - 19.3% (1,126,300)
Nationwide, youth smoking has declined dramatically since the mid-1990s, but that decline appears to have slowed considerably or even stopped in recent years. The 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that the percentage of high school students reporting that they have smoked cigarettes in the past month increased to 23 percent in 2005 from 21.9 percent in 2003. This increase follows a 40 percent decline between 1997, when rates peaked at 36.4 percent, and 2003. The survey also found that 13.6 percent of high school males use spit tobacco. U.S. adult smoking has decreased gradually in the last several decades, and 20.9 percent of U.S. adults (about 45 million) currently smoke.
Deaths in Virginia From Smoking
Adults who die each year from their own smoking - 9,300
Kids now under 18 and alive in Virginia who will ultimately die prematurely from smoking - 152,000
Adult nonsmokers who die each year from exposure to secondhand smoke - 610 to 1,720
Smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined -- and thousands more die from other tobacco-related causes -- such as fires caused by smoking (more than 1,000 deaths/year nationwide) and smokeless tobacco use. No good estimates are currently available, however, for the number of Virginia citizens who die from these other tobacco-related causes, or for the much larger numbers who suffer from tobacco-related health problems each year without actually dying.
Smoking-Caused Monetary Costs in Virginia
Annual health care costs in Virginia directly caused by smoking - $2.08 billion
Portion covered by the state Medicaid program - $401 million
Residents' state & federal tax burden from smoking-caused government expenditures - $576 per household
Smoking-caused productivity losses in Virginia - $2.42 billion
Amounts do not include health costs caused by exposure to secondhand smoke, smoking-caused fires, spit tobacco use, or cigar and pipe smoking. Other non-health costs from tobacco use include residential and commercial property losses from smoking-caused fires (more than $500 million per year nationwide); extra cleaning and maintenance costs made necessary by tobacco smoke and litter (about $4+ billion nationwide for commercial establishments alone); and additional productivity losses from smoking-caused work absences, smoking breaks, and on-the-job performance declines and early termination of employment caused by smoking-caused disability or illness (dollar amount listed above is just from productive work lives shortened by smoking-caused death).
Tobacco Use in Virginia
High school students who smoke - 21.7% (91,600)
Male high school students who use smokeless or spit tobacco - 13.3% (females use much lower)
Kids (under 18) who become new daily smokers each year - 10,800
Kids exposed to secondhand smoke at home - 336,000
Packs of cigarettes bought or smoked by kids each year - 18.4 million
Adults in Virginia who smoke - 19.3% (1,126,300)
Nationwide, youth smoking has declined dramatically since the mid-1990s, but that decline appears to have slowed considerably or even stopped in recent years. The 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that the percentage of high school students reporting that they have smoked cigarettes in the past month increased to 23 percent in 2005 from 21.9 percent in 2003. This increase follows a 40 percent decline between 1997, when rates peaked at 36.4 percent, and 2003. The survey also found that 13.6 percent of high school males use spit tobacco. U.S. adult smoking has decreased gradually in the last several decades, and 20.9 percent of U.S. adults (about 45 million) currently smoke.
Deaths in Virginia From Smoking
Adults who die each year from their own smoking - 9,300
Kids now under 18 and alive in Virginia who will ultimately die prematurely from smoking - 152,000
Adult nonsmokers who die each year from exposure to secondhand smoke - 610 to 1,720
Smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined -- and thousands more die from other tobacco-related causes -- such as fires caused by smoking (more than 1,000 deaths/year nationwide) and smokeless tobacco use. No good estimates are currently available, however, for the number of Virginia citizens who die from these other tobacco-related causes, or for the much larger numbers who suffer from tobacco-related health problems each year without actually dying.
Smoking-Caused Monetary Costs in Virginia
Annual health care costs in Virginia directly caused by smoking - $2.08 billion
Portion covered by the state Medicaid program - $401 million
Residents' state & federal tax burden from smoking-caused government expenditures - $576 per household
Smoking-caused productivity losses in Virginia - $2.42 billion
Amounts do not include health costs caused by exposure to secondhand smoke, smoking-caused fires, spit tobacco use, or cigar and pipe smoking. Other non-health costs from tobacco use include residential and commercial property losses from smoking-caused fires (more than $500 million per year nationwide); extra cleaning and maintenance costs made necessary by tobacco smoke and litter (about $4+ billion nationwide for commercial establishments alone); and additional productivity losses from smoking-caused work absences, smoking breaks, and on-the-job performance declines and early termination of employment caused by smoking-caused disability or illness (dollar amount listed above is just from productive work lives shortened by smoking-caused death).
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
House Health Subcommittee Acts to Protect Kids and Save Lives
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 11, 2008) – The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health today acted to protect our children and the nation’s health by approving legislation granting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate tobacco products. This is a very strong bill that provides the FDA with ample resources and effective authority to bring about fundamental change that will promote public health.
Today’s subcommittee vote moves Congress a critical step closer to enacting truly historic legislation that can protect our children from tobacco addiction and save countless lives. There are few actions Congress can take that would make a bigger difference for our nation’s health. Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell, Health Subcommittee Chairman Frank Pallone and U.S. Reps. Henry Waxman and Tom Davis, the bill’s sponsors, have been true champions of public health in moving this legislation forward.
Despite the death and disease they cause, tobacco products are virtually unregulated to protect public health. Tobacco companies take advantage of this lack of regulation to design and market products that entice children, create and sustain addiction to nicotine, and discourage current smokers from quitting, as demonstrated by a report released last month by a coalition of public health organizations (report: www.tobaccofreekids.org/productsreport). The report reveals how tobacco manufacturers have responded to declines in smoking by introducing a new generation of deadly and addictive products, including candy and fruit-flavored products that appeal to kids and products that try to deter smokers from quitting by making unproven and misleading claims that they are less harmful than traditional cigarettes.
The legislation approved today would grant the FDA authority to:
· Restrict tobacco advertising and promotions, especially to children.
· Ban candy-flavored cigarettes.
· Require tobacco companies to disclose the contents of tobacco products, changes to their products and research about the health effects of their products.
· Require changes in tobacco products, such as the removal or reduction of harmful ingredients.
· Prohibit health claims about so-called “reduced risk” products that are not scientifically proven or that would discourage current tobacco users from quitting or encourage new users to start.
· Require larger, more effective health warnings on tobacco products.
· Prohibit misleading terms such as “low-tar,” “light” and “mild.”
The FDA is the right agency to regulate tobacco products because it is the only agency with the combination of regulatory experience, scientific expertise and public health mandate to do the job right. It is also important to note that the legislation would require tobacco companies to pay user fees that would amply fund the FDA’s new tobacco-related responsibilities and ensure they do not impede or take resources from the FDA’s other important work. The legislation also prohibits tobacco manufacturers from claiming that any tobacco product has been approved by the FDA.
Today’s subcommittee vote moves Congress a critical step closer to enacting truly historic legislation that can protect our children from tobacco addiction and save countless lives. There are few actions Congress can take that would make a bigger difference for our nation’s health. Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell, Health Subcommittee Chairman Frank Pallone and U.S. Reps. Henry Waxman and Tom Davis, the bill’s sponsors, have been true champions of public health in moving this legislation forward.
Despite the death and disease they cause, tobacco products are virtually unregulated to protect public health. Tobacco companies take advantage of this lack of regulation to design and market products that entice children, create and sustain addiction to nicotine, and discourage current smokers from quitting, as demonstrated by a report released last month by a coalition of public health organizations (report: www.tobaccofreekids.org/productsreport). The report reveals how tobacco manufacturers have responded to declines in smoking by introducing a new generation of deadly and addictive products, including candy and fruit-flavored products that appeal to kids and products that try to deter smokers from quitting by making unproven and misleading claims that they are less harmful than traditional cigarettes.
The legislation approved today would grant the FDA authority to:
· Restrict tobacco advertising and promotions, especially to children.
· Ban candy-flavored cigarettes.
· Require tobacco companies to disclose the contents of tobacco products, changes to their products and research about the health effects of their products.
· Require changes in tobacco products, such as the removal or reduction of harmful ingredients.
· Prohibit health claims about so-called “reduced risk” products that are not scientifically proven or that would discourage current tobacco users from quitting or encourage new users to start.
· Require larger, more effective health warnings on tobacco products.
· Prohibit misleading terms such as “low-tar,” “light” and “mild.”
The FDA is the right agency to regulate tobacco products because it is the only agency with the combination of regulatory experience, scientific expertise and public health mandate to do the job right. It is also important to note that the legislation would require tobacco companies to pay user fees that would amply fund the FDA’s new tobacco-related responsibilities and ensure they do not impede or take resources from the FDA’s other important work. The legislation also prohibits tobacco manufacturers from claiming that any tobacco product has been approved by the FDA.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Foundations of Prevention Online Course
Foundations of Prevention is an online course offered by the Center for Substance
Abuse Prevention that covers the basic core knowledge of substance abuse prevention,
providing information on prevention principles, approaches, strategies, as well as
guidance for planning effective programs and measuring results. The course consists of
eight instructional units. It may be taken for FREE or continuing education credits are
available through the University of Maryland College Park for $25. To access this
course:
Go to www.samhsa.gov
Click on Center for Substance Abuse Prevention [CSAP] (right column)
Click on Prevention Platform (left column)
Register as a user to utilize the tools
Click on Training at the top of the page
Click on featured Resources
Click on CSAP’s Foundations of Prevention On-Line Course
Follow the prompts to register to take this specific course
Abuse Prevention that covers the basic core knowledge of substance abuse prevention,
providing information on prevention principles, approaches, strategies, as well as
guidance for planning effective programs and measuring results. The course consists of
eight instructional units. It may be taken for FREE or continuing education credits are
available through the University of Maryland College Park for $25. To access this
course:
Go to www.samhsa.gov
Click on Center for Substance Abuse Prevention [CSAP] (right column)
Click on Prevention Platform (left column)
Register as a user to utilize the tools
Click on Training at the top of the page
Click on featured Resources
Click on CSAP’s Foundations of Prevention On-Line Course
Follow the prompts to register to take this specific course
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Smoking in Movies Linked to Kids Lighting Up
Many youth-rated films show smoking scenes, study says, and that early exposure influences young people to start the habit.
By Alan Mozes, HealthDay Reporter (HealthDay News)
Young people who start smoking may be influenced to do so by movies they saw in early childhood, new research suggests.
What's more, the study found that almost 80 percent of the exposure to smoking scenes in movies came through films rated "G," "PG" and "PG-13."
"Movies seen at the youngest ages had as much influence over later smoking behavior as the movies that children had seen recently," said study author Linda Titus-Ernstoff, a pediatrics professor at Dartmouth Medical School.
"And I'm increasingly convinced that this association between movie-smoking exposure and smoking initiation is real," she added. "That's to say, causal. It is quite improbable that the association we see is due to some other influence, some other characteristic inherent in children or parental behavior. The relationship is clearly between movie-smoking and smoking initiation."
The findings are published in the January issue of Pediatrics.
What's more, the study found that almost 80 percent of the exposure to smoking scenes in movies came through films rated "G," "PG" and "PG-13."
"Movies seen at the youngest ages had as much influence over later smoking behavior as the movies that children had seen recently," said study author Linda Titus-Ernstoff, a pediatrics professor at Dartmouth Medical School.
"And I'm increasingly convinced that this association between movie-smoking exposure and smoking initiation is real," she added. "That's to say, causal. It is quite improbable that the association we see is due to some other influence, some other characteristic inherent in children or parental behavior. The relationship is clearly between movie-smoking and smoking initiation."
The findings are published in the January issue of Pediatrics.
Click here for the full story: http://health.msn.com/health-topics/addiction/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100187186>1=10899
Thursday, February 14, 2008
GOSAP 2008-2009 Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA) Grant Program
The Governor’s Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (GOSAP) is pleased to announce the 2008-2009 Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA) Grant Program. The Request for Proposals (RFP) outlining the program components and specifics is now available at http://www.gosap.virginia.gov/SDFSCA/announcement2008-2009.htm . GOSAP SDFSCA grant programs are intended to supplement the SDFSCA funds that flow directly from the Virginia Department of Education to every local school division for substance abuse and violence prevention programming. In addition, community needs assessments regarding youth substance abuse and violence may also seek GOSAP SDFSCA funds.Organizations who intend to submit a proposal for this funding are required to have a representative attend one of the three RFP Workshops. Workshops are being held in Newport News on February 29, 2008, in Wytheville on March 5, 2008, and in Stafford County on March 7, 2008. Please see the web site (see above) for specifics regarding the workshops.
If you are not able to reach the web site, or still have questions after reading the RFP and information, please contact Joy Rogers-Murphy at the VCU Center for School-Community Collaboration at (804) 828-1482 or rodgersmurlj@vcu.edu.
If you are not able to reach the web site, or still have questions after reading the RFP and information, please contact Joy Rogers-Murphy at the VCU Center for School-Community Collaboration at (804) 828-1482 or rodgersmurlj@vcu.edu.
Sheraton Hotels To Go Smokeless
Sheraton Hotels & Resorts and Four Points by Sheraton Hotel brands will ban smoking at more than 300 hotels and resorts throughout the U.S., Caribbean and Canada.
The new policy follows one implemented at Westin Hotels & Resorts, which became smoke-free in 2006. Westin and Sheraton are both owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
Some 8,000 rooms at the hotels will be cleaned, including treatments for air conditioning, walls, rugs, upholstery and hard surfaces.
Smoking will also be banned in public areas in the hotels but there will be a designated outdoor area at each property for guests who smoke.
There are already 70 Sheraton and Four Points by Sheraton hotels in the U.S., Canada & Caribbean that are smoke-free.
Both hotel brands expect to be completely smoke-free in the U.S. and Canada by Dec. 31st.
The new policy follows one implemented at Westin Hotels & Resorts, which became smoke-free in 2006. Westin and Sheraton are both owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
Some 8,000 rooms at the hotels will be cleaned, including treatments for air conditioning, walls, rugs, upholstery and hard surfaces.
Smoking will also be banned in public areas in the hotels but there will be a designated outdoor area at each property for guests who smoke.
There are already 70 Sheraton and Four Points by Sheraton hotels in the U.S., Canada & Caribbean that are smoke-free.
Both hotel brands expect to be completely smoke-free in the U.S. and Canada by Dec. 31st.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The Inhalant Abuse Prevention Awareness Institute
March 12, 2008
8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Stonewall Jackson Hotel
Staunton, Virginia
Cost: $55 before February 15
$65 after February 15
Registration
Handled through Rockingham Memorial Hospital.
Call 800-433-4580 or register online at
rmhonline.com. Select Classes and Events from
the main menu and then Event Calendar.
Hotel Information
$94 plus tax
Call the Stonewall Jackson Hotel at
540-885-4848 for reservations.
$94 plus tax
Call the Stonewall Jackson Hotel at
540-885-4848 for reservations.
Topics will include:
¨ The Tragedy of Inhalant Abuse—Sgt. Jeff Williams from Cleveland, Ohio will speak about
inhalant abuse’s devastating impact on his family.
¨ Inhalant Abuse Basics—Dr. Robert Balster from the Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies at
Virginia Commonwealth University will provide an overview of inhalants, including what they are
and why and how they are abused.
¨ Inhalant Abuse Incidents—Dr. Mark Kirk of the University of Virginia Medical Center will
provide information on the toxic effects of inhalants and what to do when you discover someone
abusing an inhalant.
¨ Communities in Action—Representatives from three communities will share how they’ve
addressed the problem of inhalants.
¨ Teaching Kids about Inhalants—Learn principles for teaching young people about inhalants,
using information from the updated and expanded Inhalant Abuse Prevention manual.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Senate passes smoking bans
The three bills would bar smoking in most indoor public places.
Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 - 12:09 AM
By JIM NOLAN
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
The state Senate yesterday adopted three anti-smoking bills of varying restrictions that would kick the habit out of most enclosed public places in the state.
Senate Bill 298, the most comprehensive measure approved, would prohibit smoking "indoors in most buildings or enclosed areas frequented by the public." It covers banks, sports arenas, restaurants and shopping malls.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple, D-Arlington, would require "No Smoking" signs to be posted where smoking is prohibited and subject violators to fines from $100 to $250. Proprietors of businesses not exempted from the ban would face fines ranging from $200 to $500.
For the full story - Senate passes smoking bans - News - inRich.com
Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008 - 12:09 AM
By JIM NOLAN
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
The state Senate yesterday adopted three anti-smoking bills of varying restrictions that would kick the habit out of most enclosed public places in the state.
Senate Bill 298, the most comprehensive measure approved, would prohibit smoking "indoors in most buildings or enclosed areas frequented by the public." It covers banks, sports arenas, restaurants and shopping malls.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple, D-Arlington, would require "No Smoking" signs to be posted where smoking is prohibited and subject violators to fines from $100 to $250. Proprietors of businesses not exempted from the ban would face fines ranging from $200 to $500.
For the full story - Senate passes smoking bans - News - inRich.com
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Bills envision safer cigarettes
By JOHN REID BLACKWELL
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Cigarettes made or sold in Virginia would have to meet certain fire-safety standards by 2010, under legislation proposed by several state lawmakers.
Even cigarette maker Philip Morris USA is getting behind the legislation, which if passed would make Virginia the 23rd state to adopt such requirements.
"What we are seeing across the country is tremendous support for this type of legislation," said Lorraine Carli, spokeswoman for the National Fire Protection Association.
The organization is leading a coalition of fire-prevention and consumer-safety groups pushing for laws in every state. Fires caused by cigarettes or other smoking materials result in 700 to 900 fatalities a year in the United States, she said.
For the full story - http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news/business.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-01-15-0026.html
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Cigarettes made or sold in Virginia would have to meet certain fire-safety standards by 2010, under legislation proposed by several state lawmakers.
Even cigarette maker Philip Morris USA is getting behind the legislation, which if passed would make Virginia the 23rd state to adopt such requirements.
"What we are seeing across the country is tremendous support for this type of legislation," said Lorraine Carli, spokeswoman for the National Fire Protection Association.
The organization is leading a coalition of fire-prevention and consumer-safety groups pushing for laws in every state. Fires caused by cigarettes or other smoking materials result in 700 to 900 fatalities a year in the United States, she said.
For the full story - http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news/business.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-01-15-0026.html
Monday, January 14, 2008
Second Quarter Reports Due and CDC calendar
VTSF Central region grantees,
This is a reminder that your second quarter reports are due on Jan. 15. Please contact me if you need any assistance with this report. Remeber to give as much information as possible, and don't forget to complete the upcoming events section
Also, the CDC has created a nice calendar related to tobacco control, and it can be found by following this link: http://cdc.gov/tobacco/media_communications/calendar/index.htm.
It looks like it could really be a valuable tool for anyone in the tobacco prevention/cessation field.
This is a reminder that your second quarter reports are due on Jan. 15. Please contact me if you need any assistance with this report. Remeber to give as much information as possible, and don't forget to complete the upcoming events section
Also, the CDC has created a nice calendar related to tobacco control, and it can be found by following this link: http://cdc.gov/tobacco/media_communications/calendar/index.htm.
It looks like it could really be a valuable tool for anyone in the tobacco prevention/cessation field.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Governor Kaine Announces Restaurant Smoking Ban Legislation
January 7 — Standing with members of the Hampton Roads Mayors and Chairs Caucus, the Virginia Beach Restaurant Association, General Assembly members, and medical and public health officials at Hot Tuna Bar & Grill in Virginia Beach, the Governor proposed legislation for a statewide ban on smoking in restaurants.
“The scientific evidence on the health risks associated with exposure to secondhand smoke is clear and convincing,” said Governor Kaine. “Recognizing the negative health effects and high public costs of secondhand smoke, Virginia must act to protect the workers and consumers in its restaurants.”
More information on the Governor's proposed legislation
“The scientific evidence on the health risks associated with exposure to secondhand smoke is clear and convincing,” said Governor Kaine. “Recognizing the negative health effects and high public costs of secondhand smoke, Virginia must act to protect the workers and consumers in its restaurants.”
More information on the Governor's proposed legislation
Monday, January 7, 2008
Smoking bans and new taxes around the country
It's a New Year and smoking bans and cigarette tax increases are going into effect all over the country!
Illinois: Statewide ban goes into effect Jan. 1.
Colorado: Statewide ban extends to casinos Jan. 1.
Kansas: Kansas City suburbs' smoking bans go into effect Jan. 1 & 2, pressuring Kansas City itself.
Maryland: Baltimore smoking ban goes into effect. Jan. 1.
Texas: McKinney, Sugar Land and Fort Worth restaurant smoking bans go into effect Jan. 1.
California: Smoking ban in cars with kids goes into effect Jan. 1.
Wisconsin: $1/pack cigarette tax hike goes into effect. Jan. 1, raising tax to $1.77.
Maryland: $1/pack cigarette tax hike goes into effect. Jan. 1, raising tax to $2.
From Tobacco.org Updates, 1/2/2008
Illinois: Statewide ban goes into effect Jan. 1.
Colorado: Statewide ban extends to casinos Jan. 1.
Kansas: Kansas City suburbs' smoking bans go into effect Jan. 1 & 2, pressuring Kansas City itself.
Maryland: Baltimore smoking ban goes into effect. Jan. 1.
Texas: McKinney, Sugar Land and Fort Worth restaurant smoking bans go into effect Jan. 1.
California: Smoking ban in cars with kids goes into effect Jan. 1.
Wisconsin: $1/pack cigarette tax hike goes into effect. Jan. 1, raising tax to $1.77.
Maryland: $1/pack cigarette tax hike goes into effect. Jan. 1, raising tax to $2.
From Tobacco.org Updates, 1/2/2008
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