Delaware County
Tobacco-Free Coalition
Advocacy
Young Lungs At Play! (YLAP)
Through the Southeastern Pennsylvania (SEPA) Tobacco Control Project and the Health Promotion Council (HPC), Young Lungs At Play is an initiative focused on eliminating children’s exposure to secondhand smoke and harmful litter, at local public parks, playgrounds, community centers, organizations, churhces, institutions, and other properties. Young Lungs At Play (YLAP) is a no-cost, tobacco-free program supported by the Pennsylvania Department of Health through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is administered by HPC.
The following is a list of Delaware County YLAP participants:
- Glenolden Borough
- Mount Pleasant Nursery & Kindergarten in Aston, PA
- Rocky Run YMCA
- Swarthmore Borough
- Upper Darby Township
- Upper Darby School District
- Darby Borough
- Christ Tabernacle Church in Morton Borough
- Concord Township
- Sharon Hill Borough
Do you want your borough, township, organization, school district, or agency to be a YLAP participant? For more information about the initiative, please contact Kevin Gallagher, Prevention Specialist at Holcomb Behavioral Health Systems and Secretary of the Tobacco-Free Coalition at kgallagh@holcombbhs.org or by phone @ (484) 444-0412.
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Tobacco Toolkit
Every day in the United States, nearly 4,000 young people light up a cigarette for the very first time. We are all familiar with the physical diseases caused by tobacco use: cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory ailments. But recent research indicates that nicotine also has devastating effects on the developing brains of children and teenagers and can be linked to brain damage, alcohol and other drug abuse, and mental illness.
Teachers, parents, physicians, and other adults who work with youth need education, training and support that helps them talk to young people about tobacco use in a way that provides a consistent message from many points of view. Preventing youthtobacco initiation and helping those who already smoke or chew quit is imperative.
This comprehensive toolkit includes tools, templates and information on implementing effective policies and procedures to promote a tobacco-free school. Designed for administrators, counselors, social workers, student assistance professionals, and educators, the toolkit is Pennsylvania (PA) specific, and in a convenient downloadable PDF format. It will assist you in implementing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidelines to Prevent Tobacco Use and Addiction.
For more information, or to implement this toolkit at your school or school district, please contact Kevin Gallagher by e mail
kgallagh@holcombbhs.org or by phone @ (484) 444-0412.
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The Delaware County Tobacco-Free Coalition wants the Delaware County community to join us in educating our local legislators on current tobacco issues. We encourage you to express your concerns, ask questions, and keep up with your local government. To find your local government contact information and/or to write a letter to your local legislators, follow the link provided in order to do so. We appreciate your efforts in making Delaware County a tobacco-free environment!
Click Here to Find Your Legislator
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Emerging Tobacco/Nicotine Products Information
In the recent years, tobacco has taken on many forms: from little cigars and cigarillos, Snus and Snuff, Dissolvables, Hookah, to E-Cigarettes. Cigars are defined by the U.S. Federal Government as "any toll of tobacco wrapped in leaf tobacco or in any substance containing tobacco." The size comparison of little cigars and cigarillos is comparable to that of a cigarette; cigarettes, cigarillos, and little cigars are less than 3 lbs per 1,000 units, whereas cigars are over 3 lbs per 1,000 units.
Little Cigars & Cigarillos:
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Smokeless Tobacco:
Over the past several years, several national surveys have documented an increase in the use of Smokeless Tobacco Products (STPs) among young males. New forms of STPs include both Snus and Moist Snuff. Snus is a spitless tobacco packaged in small teabag-like pouches, modeled after a Swedish product. Moist Snuff is a finely ground tobacco packaged in cans or pouches. Much like its name, the snuff is sold moist and is placed between the lower lip or cheek and gum.
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Dissolvable Tobacco:
Another form of STPs includes dissolvable tobacco. This kind of tobacco does not require spitting as it is finely milled and dissolves in the mouth. Examples of dissolvable tobacco consist of Camel Orbs, Sticks, and Strips. First test marketing started in 2009 in Portland, OR; Columbus, OH; and Indianapolis, IN. The latest round of test marketing started earlier this year in Denver, CO and Charlotte, NC. The newest dissolvable products as of 2011 on the market include Marlboro and Skoal Sticks after having been test marketed in Kansas.
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Hookah:
Hookah is another emerging tobacco/nicotine product. This form of tobacco smoking hails from the Middle East and includes a fairly intricate smoking system. In the base of the Hookah is water which, contrary to popular belief, does not "filter" all of the toxic compounds and chemicals. Tobacco mixed with molasses and vegetable glycerin is called "shisha." There are a range of tobacco flavors that vary from blueberry muffin to gummy bear and apple.
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Electronic Cigarette:
As of recently, there have been new variations of cigarettes. One of those new products is the E-Cigarette. This battery-operated device generally contains cartridges filled with nicotine, flavors, and other chemicals. The E-Cigarettes are vaporized, then inhaled. Flavors included in the devices including chocolate or mint tend to be appealing to young people. In a small sample conducted by the FDA, they found diethylene glycol, which is a chemical used in antifreeze and is toxic to humans. Other samples conducted by the FDA found carcinogens, including nitrosamines.
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Other Tobacco/Nicotine Products:
Other forms of new cigarettes include Newport Ms which are currently only available in PA. Virginia Slims Superslims were introduces in 2009 and are packaged in "purse packs." Public health groups have raised concerns regarding the marketing toward women and younger girls, with fashionable colors and sleek, sparkling boxes. Camel Crush was introduced in the fall of 2008. The filter in these cigarettes contain a capsule to be crushed by squeezing, which then releases a menthol flavor. The Marlboro Blend No. 54 was introduced in the summer of 2009. These are the newest cigarettes to be mentholated.
