Presented to the Parent Leadership Group By the Brevard Tobacco Initiative and Students Working Against Tobacco Programs sponsored by PREVENT! of Brevard, Inc. Funded by the Florida Department of Health What You Need to Know About our Youth and Tobacco Products © February 2011 The duplicating and use of any part of this presentation is prohibited without prior permission from the Brevard Tobacco Initiative

The Brevard Tobacco Initiative (BTI) is a youth and adult partnership that uses the Big Tobacco Industry’s Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) monies to focus attention on the need for local tobacco-related policies and education to protect our youth from becoming the tobacco industry’s “Replacement Smokers”. What is the Brevard Tobacco Initiative?

What is SWAT, that is, Students Working Against Tobacco? SWAT is Florida's statewide youth organization. It is a united movement of empowered youth working towards a tobacco-free future. SWAT youth created the TRUTH campaign in the 1990’s.

“Children spend almost a third of their waking time in school, or about 135 hours per month – and much of the peer pressure they feel regarding whether or not to smoke occurs in school.” “The peak years for first trying to smoke appear to be in the sixth and seventh grades.” What do I need to know about youth and tobacco? (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Fact Sheet)

Tobacco use can cause a number of negative health effects and risks that can seriously damage a youth’s health well before they leave school or reach adulthood For example: Secondhand smoke is a known cause of lung cancer, heart disease, low birth-weight, and chronic lung ailments, such as, bronchitis (particularly in children), as well as other health problems Youth and tobacco (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Fact Sheet)

In recent years, tobacco companies have developed several new forms of smokeless and flavored tobacco. “They commonly think that smokeless, not being cigarettes or cigars, that it's somehow healthier and in many times, they think it tastes better, it looks better, it must be better for you.“ - Holmes County Health Department Tobacco Prevention Coordinator What do I need to know about smokeless/alternative tobacco products?

FDA regulation under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (June 2009) placed a ban on the sale, distribution, marketing, or creation of any cigarette products that contain certain characterizing flavors Smokeless/Alternative tobacco products

The FDA regulation of flavored cigarettes does not include other tobacco products. Therefore, there are still a wide variety of flavored tobacco products on the market today.

Smokeless/Alternative tobacco products Cigars and cigarillos come in a variety of flavors and sizes. They can be the size of a regular cigar or about as thin as a pencil. They are sold together in packs or individual wrapped packages.

Smokeless/Alternative tobacco products Blunt wraps are tobacco leaves or processed tobacco that is flavored and hollow. They are used to smoke tobacco and illegal substances.

Smokeless/Alternative tobacco products

There are a variety of smokeless tobacco products on the market. These products are sold in different size tins that may look similar to containers of mints or gum. One of the newest products is called SNUS, which is a “spit- less” form of smokeless tobacco.

Smokeless/Alternative tobacco products Orbs, Strips and Sticks were available in certain test markets. According to Tobacco- Free Kids, RJ Reynolds recently announced they were pulling the products for potential redesign and will possibly reintroduce the products in the future.

“K2” is not a tobacco product, however, some young adults have reported using this product along with blunt wraps or in a pipe. K2 is also known by several names including “Spice”, “Blaze” and “Red X Dawn”. What about “K2”?

What about K2? “K2” is a blend of herbs and spices sprayed with synthetic Cannabinoids chemically similar to THC. (main psychoactive substance found in the cannabis plant)

“The products are meant to create a similar reaction to marijuana, but in fact, patients often report the opposite – a fast, racing heartbeat, elevated blood pressure and nausea.” - Missouri Poison Center Medical Director Anthony J. Scalzo MD What about K2?

Several cities and states have already taken steps to ban the product. In 2010, poison centers reported 2,867 calls about the products, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers’ National Poison Data System (NPDS). What about K2?

In a November 2010 Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) press release, the agency notified the public of their intent to use their emergency powers to temporarily control the five synthetic Cannabinoid chemicals used to make these products until they can be further evaluated.

What about K2? The DEA will publish a Final Order in the Federal Register. Internet articles report that stores are already pulling these products from their shelves!

According to the FDA, e-cigarettes are products designed to deliver nicotine (or other substances) to a user in the form of a vapor. They can be in the shape of a cigarette, cigar or even everyday items such as pens or USB drives. What about E-cigarettes?

Do not contain tobacco but can contain the addictive chemical NICOTINE Is sometimes marketed as a “quit smoking” product, but some can actually contain MORE nicotine than a cigarette What about E-cigarettes?

September 2010, FDA announced it had taken enforcement action against five electronic cigarette companies for violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), including unsubstantiated claims and poor manufacturing practices. What about E-cigarettes?

September 2010, FDA also sent a letter to the Electronic Cigarette Association stating that the agency intends to regulate electronic cigarette and related products in a manner consistent with its mission of protecting the public health. What about E-cigarettes?

What does the Brevard School District’s policy currently state about students’ use of tobacco on school premises?

“Tobacco Use” “For the purposes of this policy, “use of tobacco” shall mean all uses of tobacco including a cigar, cigarette, pipe, snuff or any other matter or substances that contain tobacco.”

SWAT youth will be asking parents and school officials to consider amending this policy to help keep their peers safe and tobacco-free!

Define “smoking” within the policy For example: Smoking is defined as the inhalation and exhalation of an ignited substance. Suggestions

Specifically list the smokeless and smoked tobacco products that should be prohibited among students on school grounds For example: blunt wraps, snus, orbs, sticks, strips, hookah, snuff, cloves, chewing tobacco, cigarillos, roll-your-owns, etc. Suggestions

Include language about prohibiting e-cigarettes (nicotine delivery devices) and K2 (synthetic Cannabinoids). Suggestions

For example: The Board prohibits the use of any nicotine delivery devices by any student on any school property at any time. The Board prohibits the use of synthetic Cannabinoid substances by any student on any school property at any time. Suggestions

Prepare letters of support for SWAT’s efforts to make these amendments to the current Brevard County School District’s Tobacco Policy What can YOU do as a parent?

Suggest other amendments to the current Brevard County School District’s Tobacco Policy, including, expanding the rationale to include more health and wellness-related language, such as, Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). What else does SWAT want to do in the future?

Brevard Tobacco Initiative (BTI) Questions? More Information? Cessation?

Disclaimer The information and materials contained in this presentation are for informational purposes only and are not offered or intended to be and should not be construed to be medical or legal advice nor to be a substitute for obtaining advice from a licensed professional.