| Board of Health approves electronic cigarette regulations | |
The King County Board of Health recently passed regulations to protect King County youth from electronic smoking devices and unregulated nicotine delivery products.
The Board of Health voted unanimously to:
- restrict the sales of e-cigarettes or any other unapproved nicotine delivery products only to people 18 and older;
- prohibit free or highly discounted electronic smoking devices or unapproved nicotine delivery products;
- prohibit the use of e-cigarette devices in places where smoking is prohibited by law.
Electronic smoking devices, commonly known as "e-cigarettes," are battery-operated devices designed to look like and to be used in the same manner as conventional cigarettes. E-cigarettes use cartridges to deliver vaporized nicotine, the same highly addictive drug that is in tobacco. The FDA is investigating e-cigarettes, but the products are currently unregulated at the federal level.
E-cigarettes have a high appeal to youth. They are sold in convenience stores and mall kiosks and come in candy flavors including chocolate, vanilla and mint. The FDA has warned that e-cigarettes can increase nicotine addiction among young people and may lead youth to try conventional tobacco products.
As these products have become more widely available, public use has also increased. E-cigarettes mimic the appearance of regular cigarettes because the user exhales a smoke-like vapor similar in appearance to the exhaled smoke from a cigarette. Their use is virtually indistinguishable from the use of traditional tobacco products in public, which leads to confusion and prompts people to light and smoke traditional tobacco products. Board members also expressed concern that the use of these products threatens to undermine the social norming impact of the Smoking in Public Places law.
Several other jurisdictions across the nation have created similar regulations related to e-cigarettes but it is believed that King County's regulations are the most comprehensive in the nation. |
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Auburn School District commits to fit |
Students at Auburn High School (AHS) are leading the charge to create a culture that promotes healthy eating and physical fitness in the Auburn School District and in their community. AHS's DECA Chapter, a student leadership organization for marketing and business students, recently held a kick-off event for Commit to Fit, a student-led health and fitness campaign to address childhood obesity.
The community kick-off event was held on Dec. 13, 2010 at the Grace Community Church in Auburn. The Marketing and Education Fair included nearly 30 interactive vendor booths and activities such as zumba, elementary student PE demo, a show by the Illaco Jump Rope Team, cooking demonstrations, sugar-loaded beverage education and distribution of materials for community members to fill their "Fit Kits" in preparation for the launch of the district-wide student-focused campaign in late January.
Since the kick-off, more than 2,200 students and staff have signed up to participate in Commit to Fit.
Through CPPW funding, the Auburn School District is also working on adopting and implementing an improved physical education curriculum, a new Child Nutrition Certificate Program and the Safe Routes to School Program.
For more information, please contact Lori Jacobs.
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Healthy King County: We're live! | |
It's been exciting to see how many CPPW partners are using the new Healthy King County website! Be sure to take advantage of all the resources available on the site. We're currently featuring the CPPW Technical Assistance Guide and news coverage of the King County restrictions on electronic cigarettes.
Remember to change your temporary login and password
Did you see a page already posted for your organization when you first registered on the Healthy King County site? The CPPW Communications Team helped set up pages for many of our grantee organizations. If that includes your organization, you should have received an email from your project officer with instructions about how to change your temporary login and password. Please change them to make sure any email is properly routed to your organization. (For help changing the login and password, contact Meredith Li-Vollmer.)
Share what you're working on
Have you held an event that left you energized? Or have you encountered challenges with your CPPW work that others could learn from? Perhaps you've found new ways to work with partners on your CPPW efforts? Share it on Healthy King County by clicking on the "What We're Doing" tab.
There's no need to post a polished piece of writing. "What We're Doing" is meant to be an informal conversation about what's new in CPPW to help us celebrate our successes, problem-solve, and make connections between projects. So make it a quick blurb--we'd love to hear from you!
You can also share your latest work by posting photos, links to YouTube videos, and documents to Healthy King County.
Need help?
We developed a guide to help you navigate the features on the Healthy King County site. You can also contact Meredith for assistance using the site. |
| Grant Opportunity |
We are happy to announce a grant opportunity to support new and permanent signage at your organization's site to maintain smoke-free and tobacco-free environments. Organizations not currently receiving Tobacco Prevention Program funds from King County can find application materials here. Funding is limited and eligible projects will be reviewed and awarded in the order submitted. Please review the CPPW Signage Grant Guidelines, then complete the application found here. |
| Correction |
In last month's CPPW newsletter, we mistakenly identified the King County Housing Authority as the Seattle Housing Authority in the article about improving nutrition and physical activity at child-care centers. Click here to read more about the good work the King County Housing Authority is doing to support the health and well-being of all children who participate in their programs. |
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King County hospitals take the smoke-free pledge |  |
Highline Medical Center in Burien became the first hospital to go smoke-free as part of the University of Washington (UW) and the Washington State Hospital Association's (WSHA) CPPW efforts to provide safe, smoke-free environments for patients, staff and visitors at all King County hospitals.
When Highline went smoke-free on Jan. 5, the number of hospitals in King County that do not have smoke-free campus policies shrunk to just nine out of 21 hospitals.
The UW, in collaboration with the WSHA, will continue to work with the remaining nine hospitals to support their transition to smoke-free campuses and provide cessation options for hospitals to use with smokers who want to quit.
It is well-known that tobacco use adversely impacts medical treatment for most illnesses. A smoke-free environment protects patients, staff and visitors from dangerous secondhand smoke and demonstrates a strong commitment to health and safety. We look forward to the day when all patients in King County have access to safe and smoke-free hospitals. |
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Tobacco cessation ad campaign launches |  |
Look for Public Health's new tobacco cessation ad campaign on radio, TV and online in the coming weeks.
The campaign - based on the Washington State Department of Health's Dear Me campaign - will reach audiences across Western Washington and will run from Jan. 24-Feb. 13. Radio and online ads will run in multiple languages.
The campaign is supported by King County CPPW tobacco funds and complements tobacco policy and system changes. |
| CPPW accomplishments | | |
January 2011
Highline Medical Center goes smoke-free.
December 2010
The King County Board of Health passed comprehensive e-cigarette regulations to protect King County youth. |
| In the news | | |
Has your CPPW project been in the news lately? Send us the clip.
Obesity Prevention
A mission to promote health and wellness
Seattle Times, Dec. 17
Tobacco Prevention
Electronic cigarettes considered a new public health threat
KPLU, Dec. 16
King County bans public e-cigarette smoking
Seattle P-I, Dec. 16
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