January 2020
Volume 9, Issue 1
The Southern Tier Tobacco Awareness Coalition (STTAC) seeks to build
healthier communities through tobacco-free living in
Chemung, Schuyler, & Steuben, NY
As We Set New Goals for 2020,
Let’s Celebrate the Successes of 2019
In 2019, many municipalities and businesses went tobacco-free in Chemung, Schuyler, and Steuben Counties. These new and updated tobacco-free policies covered 19 work sites, 4 municipalities, and 195 smoke-free housing units. We would like to thank these businesses, municipal leaders, and apartment complexes for protecting all of us from the dangers of secondhand smoke and making health a priority. Tobacco-free policies not only protect people from secondhand smoke, but they also help smokers quit, and help prevent kids from starting.
If you are interested in a tobacco-free or smoke-free entryway, grounds, parks, campus, or housing policy, please contact us and we can help. We can provide policy assistance and free signage! Call (607)737-2858 to learn more.
Massachusetts Flavor Ban: A Major Milestone in
Tobacco Control
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker officially signed into law House Bill 4196, “An Act Modernizing Tobacco Control”, which bans the sale of flavored tobacco and nicotine vaping products, including menthol cigarettes. While other states have implemented temporary bans and restrictions in the previous months, Massachusetts is the first state to pass a permanent ban on all flavored tobacco products. Extending the ban to menthol cigarettes is particularly monumental as these products have generally been exempt from past restrictions; menthol cigarettes are, however, disproportionately smoked by youth and minority populations, in part due to the targeted industry marketing of menthol to these specific populations. Additionally, the law places a 75% excise tax on nicotine vaping products and expands coverage for tobacco cessation products and counseling. As a stipulation to this new law, flavored tobacco products can still be sold at licensed smoking bars such as cigar bars and hookah lounges, though consumption must occur on-site. Governor Baker’s declaration of a public health emergency and the accompanying temporary ban on the sale of all flavored and unflavored vaping products, which was enacted back in September, was lifted early on December 11. Under the newly passed bill, the restriction on the sale and consumption of flavored vaping products began immediately, while the ban for menthol cigarettes begins June 1, 2020. Learn more about menthol and flavored tobacco products.
If you are interested in learning more on what measures can be taken on a local level, contact STTAC at (607)737-2858.
Source
Counter Tobacco. December 2019 Newsletter.
Local Reality Check Update
It is a New Year and Reality Check members in the Southern Tier have set their sights on some new goals as we roll into the new decade. We are looking to make change and build our dream communities! In meetings, we spent some time thinking about the things we want and don’t want where we live, work, and play. Everyone was in agreement that we want to live in an environment where being healthy is accessible, and easy for everyone. Right now, that is not the case. We learned about how for some people, making healthy decisions can be harder depending on where you live, who you live with, and what you see on a daily basis. We will use our voices to spread awareness in our communities and make changes so that it is easier for everyone to make healthy choices.
Youth also hosted a table at the Crystal City Christmas Sparkle Celebration! Youth engaged the community with a fun marble poll to see how people felt about tobacco-free outdoor spaces. Most people who took part in the vote chose that they thought all outdoor public spaces should be smoke-free, rather than just youth focused spaces like parks and playgrounds.
Reality Check youth are leaders among their peers and positive change agents in our community. If you know of any youth in Chemung, Schuyler, or Steuben counties who would be interested in participating in this free youth leadership program, contact Samantha White at (607)737-2858 or spwhite@chemungcountyny.gov.
STTAC IN THE NEWS:
The Corning Leader – 12.22.19
Star Gazette – 12.29.19
Here in New York State, tobacco companies spend more than a half a million dollars every day to place promotions in stores where kids can see them. And the more they see, the more likely they are to start smoking.
STTAC Contacts
Sarah Robbins, Program Director
SarahRobbins@chemungcountyny.gov | (607)737-2028 X73480
Michelle Larimore, Community Engagement Coordinator
MLarimore@chemungcountyny.gov | (607)737-2028 X73482
Samantha White, Reality Check Coordinator
SPWhite@chemungcountyny.gov | (607)737-2028 X73483
Jessica Fierro, Program Assistant
JNFierro@chemungcountyny.gov | (607)737-2028 X73481
Our mailing address is:
Southern Tier Tobacco Awareness Coalition
103 Washington Street
Elmira, NY 14901
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Copyright © 2018 Southern Tier Tobacco Awareness Coalition, All rights reserved.