e-News November 5, 2018
Three Remote Locations Added for Dec. 10 E-cig Conference
CEUs available
The Coalition for a Smoke-Free Tomorrow has added remote-viewing locations in Bowling Green, Hazard and Paducah to accommodate those interested in the Dec. 10 half-day conference on e-cigarettes, but unable to make the trip to Louisville to join in person.
The conference -"Next Generation Tobacco: The Impact of E-Cigarettes on Kentucky's Future Health" - will focus on the recent explosion in the popularity of Juul and other pod e-cigarettes, especially among youth and young adults. Speakers will discuss who is using e-cigarettes, vapes, and other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) in Kentucky, and the potential policies for preventing disease and illness associated with them. In particular, speakers will focus on the role
of flavors in encouraging underage vaping, the extent to which ENDS actually help people quit smoking, what's in ENDS and whether they are a safer alternative to combustible cigarettes, and the evidence that ENDS are a gateway to smoking for youth and young adults.
The conference will begin at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern) / 7:30 a.m. (Central), and conclude at 12:15 (Eastern) / 11:15 a.m. (Central). All locations are free, but registration is required. A light breakfast will be provided at all locations. See agenda here.
Louisville: In-person conference (please register quickly as remaining space is very limited)
1640 Lyndon Farm Court, Suite 100, Louisville 40223.
Register here.
Bowling Green: Remote viewing location
Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce
710 College Street, Bowling Green 42101.
Register here.
Hazard: Remote viewing location
University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health, Room 214, 750 Morton Boulevard, Hazard 41847. Please use the free parking and shuttle service on Roy Campbell Drive (see map).
Register here.
Paducah: Remote viewing location
Baptist Health Paducah, Barnes Auditorium in the Carson-Myre Heart Center, 2501 Kentucky Avenue, Paducah 42003.
Register here.
The conference has been approved for continuing education credits for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses. Certificates of attendance will be available as well. Details provided on the conference agenda.
Federal Update
FDA Considering Tighter Restrictions on E-cig Sales to Prevent Youth Use
Noting that many teenagers purchase e-cigarettes at convenience stores and gas stations, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb recently announced in a television interview that his agency may confine sales of flavored e-cig products to vaping stores.
Gottlieb estimated that high school use of e-cigarettes surged 77 percent last year, and middle school use grew 50 percent. Vape shops generally do a better job of checking ID, he said.
"These really are reaching epidemic proportions in terms of the number of youth that are now using e-cigarettes," Gottlieb said. "When all the data comes in ... around 20 percent of American kids are using e-cigarettes and probably almost a third are using some form of tobacco product."
In September the FDA ordered the five major manufacturers of e-cigs being sold in the United States - Juul, British American Tobacco, Altria, Imperial Brands and Japan Tobacco - to submit plans to address teen use of their products within 60 days. That action followed an enforcement blitz of 1,300 retail stores over the summer.
The FDA also is considering banning online sales of e-cigarettes, at least temporarily, while it writes regulations for these products, according to Gottlieb.
Here's a link to Gottlieb's latest statement on e-cigarette regulation, issued Oct. 31.
Coalition Website Updated
We've recently added several updates to our website at www.smokefreetomorrow.org. Be sure to visit often to see our policy statements and priorities, upcoming events, and a list of resources for both advocates and consumers. We've also provided some social media tools and other information here to help you share this important work to improve Kentucky's health.
Partner and Member News
2019 Tobacco Control Spring Conference is April 16-17, 2019
Mark your calendar for the spring conference highlighting the latest in tobacco control, scheduled for April 16-17, 2019 at the Embassy Suites in Lexington. For the first time, the
Kentucky Center for Smoke-free Policy and the Kentucky Department for Public Health's Tobacco Prevention & Cessation Program have partnered to host a joint, two-day conference.
15th Annual Children's Advocacy Day at the Capitol - Feb. 13, 2019
Children's Advocacy Day at the Capitol began in 2004 as an effort to unite advocates from across the state to raise their voices on behalf of children's safety, health, education, and economic well-being. Hundreds of advocates from counties across Kentucky now gather at the Capitol in Frankfort every year to rally on behalf of children and to promote priorities on the Blueprint for Kentucky's Children agenda.
For more information about sponsorships, contact Jessie Whitish at Kentucky Youth Advocates (KYA) at jwhitish@kyyouth.org or 502-895-8167 EXT. 121.
If you are bringing a group of youth to Children's Advocacy Day, please fill out this brief survey about youth activities that KYA can help you coordinate throughout the day. Contact Tina Agonva at tagonva@kyyouth.org, if you have questions.
RSVP here.
Blueprint Partner Summit Dec. 5
Registration is now live for the summit of organizations partnering to advocate for children's issues in the 2019 legislature. The Blueprint is the legislative agenda coordinated by Kentucky Youth Advocates. In the past, the
Blueprint partners have been strong advocates for smoking-reduction policies, including last year's cigarette tax increase.
This year's summit is Wednesday, Dec. 5, from 9 to 2:30 at Sawyer Hayes Community Center in Louisville. Register here.
Recent News Coverage
Coalition to Explore Impact of Juul, Other E-cigarettes on Kentucky's Health
Chandler: Higher cigarette tax can help state's health ranking
Health Advocate says Kentucky Can Do More to Prevent Smoking-Related Illness
Lung cancer takes high toll in Kentucky - learn about screening options to catch it early
Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky has plans for next legislative session
Want to join us?
Does your organization want to help make Kentucky healthier by reducing tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke? Click here to join our Coalition. Or email Alexa Kerley, akerley@healthy-ky.org.