PACT Notes

October 5th, 2018

Wolf Administration Warns of Dangers of E-cigarettes for Teens

The Wolf Administration is urging teens and their parents, educators and health care providers to be aware of the dangers of vaping or using e-cigarettes as the number of teens using this method of smoking is increasing across the nation. “Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is a highly addictive drug that can harm brain development, which continues until about age 25,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to go on to use regular cigarettes. If you have a problem with vaping, there are resources available to help you.” The FDA, last month, declared the use of e-cigarettes among teens an “epidemic” and is taking steps to stop youth access to tobacco products. At the same time, the U.S. Surgeon General determined that e-cigarette use among youth and young adults is a public health concern.

Current Tobacco Smoking, Quit Attempts, and Knowledge About Smoking Risks Among Persons Aged ≥15 Years – Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 28 Countries, 2008-2016

Each year, tobacco use causes approximately 7 million deaths worldwide, including approximately 6 million among tobacco users and an estimated 890,000 among nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke. Tobacco use is a leading preventable cause of disease globally and has been determined to cause adverse health outcomes such as coronary heart disease, stroke, and multiple types of cancer, including lung cancer. CDC analyzed 2008-2016 Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) data from 28 countries to assess tobacco smoking prevalence, quit attempts, and knowledge about tobacco smoking risks among persons aged 15 years and older.

Electronic Cigarette Sales in the United States, 2013-2017

Sales of JUUL, an e-cigarette shaped like a USB flash drive, grew more than seven-fold from 2016 to 2017, and held the greatest share of the US e-cigarette market by December 2017. These findings, from an analysis of retail sales data from 2013-2017, were released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although rapid uptake of other e-cigarette brands has occurred after their introduction, JUUL’s high nicotine concentration, discreet shape, and flavors could be particularly appealing to, and problematic for youth.

To read the press release from CDC click here.

Age to Purchase Tobacco Products to Move up to 21 in Harrison, AR

Harrison Arkansas has increased their minimum legal sales age of tobacco to 21 years. The North Arkansas Partnership for Health Education teamed up with the youth group Boone County Ignite in Harrison to work toward getting tobacco products and e-cigarettes out of the hands of teens. Studies show Arkansas is one of the top states when it comes to high adult and teenage smoking rates. The Arkansas Department of Health also announced they want to focus on tobacco control in the state. The law will go into effect January 1st, 2019.

LUNG FORCE Advocacy Day 2019: Share Your Voice

Would you be interested in coming to Washington D.C. to share your voice and your story with your U.S. Senators and Members of Congress about the importance of increasing research funding for better treatments and early detection for lung cancer?

The American Lung Association is looking for LUNG FORCE Heroes for Advocacy Day. LUNG FORCE Heroes include lung cancer patients, loved ones of a lung cancer patient, caregiver to a lung cancer patient, etc. Participants must be able to come to Washington for training beginning on Monday, April 8 and return home on Thursday, April 11, and be willing to share their story with LUNG FORCE, the media and their Members of Congress.

One person in Pennsylvania will be selected to attend. If you would like to be considered to represent Pennsylvania please contact Sarah Lawver.

PACT Notes

PACT Notes – December 21, 2018

A new study found that increases in adolescent vaping from 2017 to 2018 were the largest ever recorded in the past 43 years for any adolescent substance use outcome in the U.S.

In just one year e-cigarette use among youth has skyrocketed, increasing by:
90% among 12th graders
96% among 10th graders
74% among 8th graders

PACT Notes – December 14, 2018

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the landmark 1998 legal settlement between the states and the tobacco companies, which required the companies to pay more than $200 billion over time as compensation for tobacco-related health care costs.

The report challenges states to do more to fight tobacco use – the nation’s No. 1 preventable cause of death – and to confront the growing epidemic of youth e-cigarette use in America. In Pennsylvania, 8.7 percent of high school students smoke cigarettes, while 11.3 percent use e-cigarettes. Tobacco use claims 22,000 Pennsylvania lives and costs the state $6.3 billion in health care bills annually.

PACT Notes – December 7, 2018

This week Senator Mario Scavello (PA-40) released a co-sponsorship memo for Tobacco 21. He is actively looking for support in the Senate and plans to introduce legislation in the session starting in the new year. While PACT is still advising that advocates wait until the new year to start their legislative visits, if you have any connections with Senators you think might be interested in support please reach out to PACT and we are happy to connect them with Senator Scavello’s Office.