The Tobacco-Free Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany(CCA) consists of Reality Check youth, community members, business leaders and health organizations who work together to protect our community from the dangers of tobacco use and secondhand smoke through policy change.

 

 

Point of Sale

There are many factors that contribute to the decision of an adolescent to begin smoking; tobacco marketing in retail stores where tobacco products are sold (the point of sale) has a significant impact.

• Each year in New York State, 13,500 youth become new daily smokers and 32.7 million packs are bought or smoked by New York State children.
• Every day, the tobacco industry spends over half a million dollars in New York State to market its products.
• Tobacco companies place most of their advertising where young people shop in conveniences store, where 75% of teens shop at least once per week.
• There is approximately one licensed tobacco retailer for every 194 children in New York State.
• The more tobacco retailers there are near schools, the more likely children are to smoke

Types of policies to fit different communities needs.

• Tobacco-Free Pharmacies –  pharmacies not allowed to sell tobacco products.
• Licensing and Zoning – limits the number of tobacco retailers in a community and where they can be established.
• Price Promotion – set a minimum price for tobacco products, by not allowing the redemption of tobacco product coupons or “buy one, get one” (bogo) offers.

Show Your Support!

Tobacco 21

Tobacco 21 is an amendment to raise the age to purchase tobacco products from eighteen to twenty-one. Ten counties including: Albany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Cortland, Onondaga, Orange, Schenectady, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tompkins, and New York City have passed this amendment in New York State.

The reasons behind Tobacco 21 in Allegany County:

• Tobacco products contain nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance and changes how the adolescent brain develops.
• The average age of a new smoker in New York State is 13 years old.
• The earlier someone starts smoking the harder it is to quit and can lead to other drug use in the future.
• Smoking among high schoolers in Allegany County is 8.2%, which is higher than the New York State average of 4.7%.
• Almost ¼ of high school students reported use of some form of a tobacco product eg (Cigarettes, Chew, Cigars, Cigarillos, E-cigarettes).
• The 2013-2014 BRFS Report states that Allegany County has the sixth highest smoking rate among adults in New York State.
• Cancer is the highest cause of death in Allegany County followed by heart disease, stroke and lower respiratory disease, which are all can be caused by tobacco use.

Tobacco 21 Survey

 

Smoke-Free Multi-Unit Housing

New Yorkers are well aware of the dangers of secondhand smoke and are protected in public places by the implementation of the Clean Indoor Air Act. New Yorkers know that living in a smoke-free home is one of the best things they can do for their family’s health and to protect their property; the vast majority do not allow smoking in their home.

Unfortunately, for residents of apartments and other multi-unit housing, the decision to have a smoke-free home is not theirs alone. Secondhand smoke drifts from neighboring apartments and creates unhealthy living conditions for everyone in the building.

Tenant Resources:

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Secondhand Smoke Facts
• New York Tenant’s Guide to Smoke-Free Housing
• Sample Neighbor Letter
• Sample Landlord Letter
• More Resources

Landlord Resources:

• Frequently Asked Questions
• No Constitutional Right to Smoke
• New York State Legal Memorandum
• Benefits of No-Smoking Policies in Affordable Housing
• Reasons to Pursue Smoke-Free Housing
• Secondhand Smoke Seepage into Affordable Housing
• New York Landlord’s Smoke-Free Housing Toolkit
• Smoke-Free Printable Signs
• More Resources

 

Tobacco-Free Outdoors

Parks, playgrounds, beaches and other recreational areas should be places that people can go to enjoy the outdoors, breathe fresh air and exercise. They should not have to be exposed to secondhand smoke. The Surgeon General states “There is no safe amount of secondhand smoke.”

Another public health concern is tobacco litter which is hazardous to children and wildlife. Cigarette butts are the most frequently littered item. Cigarette butts are not biodegradable as most people think, it can take the acetate(plastic) filters many years to decompose. Toxic chemicals the cigarette filter was designed to trap can leak out into aquatic ecosystems, threatening the quality of water and many aquatic lifeforms.

List of New York Municipalities’ Tobacco-Free Recreation Areas

Tobacco-Free CCA is working to establish more tobacco free outdoor areas around clubs, businesses, college campuses and other grounds. Contact Tobacco-Free CCA for sample policies, signage and/or assistance in creating outdoor tobacco use policies.

Contacts

Kenneth Dahlgren

Asst. Coordinator Community Engagement

(716) 375-8010 x.3902

Kenneth.Dahlgren@RoswellPark.org

Facebook: tobaccofreewny

Twitter: @TobaccoFreeCCA

Jonathan Chaffee

Asst. Coordinator Youth Outreach(Reality Check)

(716) 375-8010 x.3901

Jonathan.Chaffee@RoswellPark.org

Facebook: realitycheck.jon

Twitter: @TobaccoFreeCCA

Website: Reality Check of New York