Author: Judy Martinson

Volume 2, Issue 11

January –March 2017

Rolette county Public Health

Tobacco Prevention

Overwhelming Support for Raising Tobacco Sale Age to 21 years old

Three out of 4 American adults—including 7 in 10 cigarette smokers—favor raising the minimum age of sale for all tobacco products to 21, according to an article by CDC published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Age-of-sale restrictions have been shown to contribute to reductions in tobacco use and dependency among youth. "Raising the minimum age of sale to 21 could benefit the health of Americans in several ways," said Brian King, Ph.D., acting Deputy Director for Research Translation in CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health. "It could delay the age of first experimenting with tobacco, reducing the likelihood of transitioning to regular use and increasing the likelihood that those who do become regular users can quit." Three out of 4 American adults favor making 21 the minimum age of sale for tobacco products. Hawaii—currently prohibits sales of tobacco products to youth under the age of 21. Additionally, several cities and counties across the U.S. have already adopted laws raising the minimum age to 21, starting with Needham, Massachusetts, in 2005.

Rolette county Public Health

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National Wear Red Day-February 3, 2017

People wear red as a way to bring attention to the problem of heart disease in women. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (N.I.H)) in the U.S. Coronary Heart Disease is the #1 killer of women in the United States.
Do you know there are seven easy ways to help control your risk for heart disease? Manage your heart risk by understanding “Life’s Simple 7”
Get active
2) Control Cholesterol-When you control your cholesterol, you are giving your arteries their best chance to remain clear of blockages. Cholesterol is a waxy substance and our bodies use it to make cell membranes and some hormones. When you have too much bad cholesterol, it combines with white blood cells and forms plaque in your veins and arteries. These blockages lead to heart disease and stroke.
3) Eat better-eat vegetables, fruits, unrefined fiber-rich whole grain foods and cut back on added sugars and saturated fats.
4) Manage blood pressure
5) lose weight
6) Reduce blood sugar
7) Stop smoking-cigarette smokers have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. If you smoke, quitting is the best thing you can do for your health. Smoking damages your entire circulatory system, and increases your risk for coronary heart disease, hardened arteries, aneurysm and blood clots. Somking can also reduce your good cholesterol (HDL) and your lung capacity, making it harder to get the physical activity you need for better health.(www.goredforwomen.org/red-dress-collection)

North Dakota’s Youth Tobacco Use Declines

A newly published survey of North Dakota high school students shows a substantial drop in cigarette use – from 19 percent in 2013 to 11.7 percent in 2015 − but also shows that e-cigarette use among youth is at an alarming rate of 22 percent among high school students. For the first time this year, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey asked students if they used electronic cigarettes, which are devices that convert a nicotine liquid into an aerosol that is inhaled. The findings are part of the newest Youth Risk Behavior Survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another recent report from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows that nicotine harms the developing brain of youth. Many e-cigarettes contain nicotine, and nicotine exposure at a young age may cause lasting harm to brain development, promote addiction and lead to sustained tobacco use. The good news is that North Dakota is dealing with the emerging problem of e-cigarettes. BreatheND and our state and local partners supported the North Dakota legislature in its efforts to regulate these otherwise unregulated products. The 2015 legislature passed a law prohibiting e-cigarette sales to minors and use by minors. The law also requires child-resistant packaging for e-cigarette liquids. Several cities, including most recently Grand Forks and Bismarck, have passed even stronger local ordinances requiring tobacco licenses for all stores selling e-cigarettes and “vape” products, and requiring products be placed behind-the-counter. (www.breathend.com)

The Alaska State Fair is the first state fair in the country to go entirely smokefree on all fairgrounds, both inside and outside. This smokefree policy applies to electronic smoking devices and marijuana, as well as tobacco, and promotes a healthy, family-friendly environment for all.
The Arizona super advocate, Louis Carabillo, has steadfast support for smokefree environments. As a result of his efforts, a 20-foot no-smoking perimeter was put into place at the Safeway Store in Cottonwood, AZ, making the air safer for the store’s workers and customers.
The Utah Department of Health’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program for requiring grantees to have a tobacco-free workplace policy. Thank you for setting an example on how health programs can encourage tobacco-free environments. (ANR update volume 35, Number 4-Winter 2016)2016220162016)20156

Volume 2, Issue 11

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News Tidbits

2016)
Speak up for smokefree air!!

HUD Smokefree Public Housing

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is expected to release its final smokefree rule by the end of 2016. The proposed rule will require Public Housing authorities to implement smokefree policies in all of their public housing properties. Once the final rule is announced, housing authorities will have 18 months to implement their policies.
HUD’s smoke-free
Public housing proposed rule would yield an annual cost savings of $153 million, including:
$94 million in secondhand smoke related health care
$43 million in renovation of units with smoking damage
$16 million in smoke-attributable fire losses.
Sadly this doesn’t include hookahs and electronic smoking devices. There will be plenty of time to communicate

with residents, establish procedures, and set the expectation of compliance in order to have a healthier living environment for all residents. (ANR update)

5 Ways to combat smoking in video games

We know that exposure to smoking imagery is linked with young people starting to smoke and that many video games glamorize smoking. How do we stop video games from providing free advertising for the tobacco industry, helping it recruit “replacement smokers” for the 1300 people who die every day from a tobacco-related disease?
Truth Initiative has five suggestions for action:
Build awareness-Parents and adults should know that many
vidvideo games contain tobacco use and

and publishers to drop tobacco
4. Support more
research
5. Educate policymakers. (www.editortruthinitiative.org) 12/15/2016 issue

many video games contain tobacco use and be aware that Entertainment Software Board content descriptors
often fail to mention tobacco content.
2. Promote better
ratings
3. Urge developers and publishers to drop tobacco
4. Support more research
5. Educate policymakers

Rolette County Public Health

Tobacco Prevention and Control

211 1st Ave NE,
Box 726
Rolla, ND 58367

701-477-5646
Fax-701-477-9578
jumartinson@nd.gov

An initiated measure approved by voters provides funding to Rolette County Public Health to diminish the toll of tobacco in our state by addressing the number one preventable cause of death and disease: TOBACCO.
BreatheND is the official website and logo of the Center for Tobacco Prevention and Control Policy, a division of the Tobacco Prevention and Control executive Committee.
North Dakota voters passed a statewide Initiated measure that created the Tobacco Prevention and Control Executive Committee and requires a portion of the money North Dakota receives from tobacco settlement dollars to be used for tobacco prevention and control programs.
The Center, along with the North Dakota Department of Health, local public health units and other partners, is charged with implementing North Dakota’s comprehensive state tobacco prevention plan: Saving Lives-Saving Money.

NDQUITS Information for School Staff
1-800-QUIT.NOW
NDQuits offers free, confidential, cessation counseling to any North Dakota resident interested in quitting tobacco.
ND Quits offers assistance via several options-telephone, online and mobile.
Smokers, smokeless tobacco users, e-cigarette
users, family members of tobacco users and health-care professionals can use NDQuits.

NDQuits counseling protocols and educational
materials for youth are specific to the 12-17 year old population.
In North Dakota individuals 14 and older do not need parental consent to receive counseling. Youth younger than 14 can access services with parental or guardian consent.
For more information about referring your students to NDQuits, contact the North Dakota Department of Health,Tobacco prevention and control Program at 701-328-2367 or 800280-5512.