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.

Click here for the full story: http://health.msn.com/health-topics/addiction/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100187186&GT1=10899

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.

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 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.

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.

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