Happy Halloween

It's all TRICKS and NO TREATS from RJ Reynolds....

read on from the American Lung Association.

http://lungaction.org/campaign/trick_or_treat/wig6ini2v7k56iww

New Tobacco Product on the Market

Dissolvable tobacco offered as smoking bans proliferate; critics say it looks like candy

By Richard Craver Journal Reporter (Winston-Salem Journal)
Published: October 8, 2008

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. is introducing three dissolvable smokeless products in its latest bid to make its tobacco more accessible within a society that's clamping down on smoking.
The dissolvable products -- a pellet (Camel Orbs), a twisted stick the size of a toothpick (Camel Sticks) and a film strip for the tongue (Camel Strips) -- had their debut at this week's National Association of Convenience Stores convention.

The products are made of finely milled tobacco and come in the flavor styles of fresh and mellow, spokeswoman Maura Payne said. The products last from two to three minutes for the strips, 10 to 15 minutes for the orbs and 20 to 30 minutes for the sticks.

"We're meeting the adult tobacco consumer where they are in society today," Payne said. "Consumer research has found that adult tobacco consumers have wanted another option for using tobacco where it wasn't comfortable or they weren't permitted to smoke."

Reynolds said that it is the first major U.S. tobacco manufacturer to offer the products. Star Scientific Inc., a smaller manufacturer based in Petersburg, Va., has been selling its dissolvable tobacco products -- Ariva and Stonewall -- in select regional and national chains such as Food Lion and 7-Eleven.

Reynolds plans to test the new products in Indianapolis; Columbus, Ohio; and Portland, Ore. The orbs and sticks products will have their debut in January and the strips in the second quarter.
Although Reynolds does not dictate retail prices, the company said that the dissolvable products should sell at a comparable price to a tin of Camel Snus, which is between $4 and $4.50.
The products drew criticism from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, which has protested most Reynolds tobacco innovations in recent years.

"These products are flavored and packaged like candy, and very likely will appeal to children," said Matthew Myers, the president of the advocacy group. "These products appear to be part of a continuing effort by RJR and other tobacco companies to get around the growing number of smoke-free laws and give smokers new ways to sustain their addiction in places they cannot smoke," Myers said.

Payne said that the products are sold in child-resistant packaging. Only adult consumers will be able to buy the products, and they will carry the same health warnings as other oral smokeless products.

Bill Godshall, the executive director of SmokeFree Pennsylvania, said that Reynolds is probably trying to introduce its new smokeless products before potential Food and Drug Administration regulation stamps out most innovation.

"I'm pleased that Reynolds is being aggressive in accelerating the switch to smokeless tobacco and getting more products that are likely to appeal to tobacco users," Godshall said.
In the past nine years, Reynolds has expanded its flagship brand Camel through such introductions as Camel Exotic Blends, Camel No. 9 and Camel Signature. It has branched out with Camel Snus, a smokeless product that is being promoted as the industry's best bet in a post-smoking environment.

Michelle Roehm, an associate marketing professor at Wake Forest University, said that she likes the packaging design."It appears to mimic the shapes and sizes of PDA devices that we're all accustomed to carrying around these days," Roehm said. "The design speaks to the occasions on which the products are likely to be used, such as on smoke-free flights, where it can conveniently be stored and accessed in the compartments of a carry-on bag."

Roehm said that the shape of the packaging does lend itself to complaints "from certain sectors that the product may catch the eye of children because the package resembles those used for gum."John Sweeney, the director of the sports-communication program at UNC Chapel Hill, said that Reynolds will need to be subtle in how it markets the dissolvable products. "If the ads surround Camel Sticks with bursts of color and youth-oriented language, there will be a social uprising," Sweeney said. "On the other hand, if the advertising is adult in orientation and quietly informative, the product may be left to find its way."

■ Richard Craver can be reached at 727-7376 or at rcraver@wsjournal.com.

Products at a glance
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. is preparing to test three new Camel smokeless tobacco products in 2009.Product - Flavors - Flavor length - Pack amount - Nicotine amount

Orbs - Fresh, mellow - 10-15 minutes - 15 - 1 milligram per orb
Sticks - Mellow - 20-30 minutes - 10 - 3.1 milligram per stick
Strips - Fresh - 2-3 minutes - 20 - 0.6 milligram per strip

Source: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

Now that's a good lookin' group!

Southwest Regional Grantee Meeting ~ Sept 25, 2008

Great to see you!

It's been fabulous to see all of the smiling Southwest Grantee faces here in Newport News!

I hope the conference event has been a valuable learning and networking opportunity for you.

Come back to the blog soon for our group photo! :)

Smoke free restaurants online!

Hey folks - sorry for the previous error with this hyperlink...let's try it again!


Here's a great new resource for locating smoke free restaurants in your area (or anywhere in Virginia for that matter). Here is the link to the website that you can search by county:

www.healthspace.ca/vdh








RICHMOND, Va. - The Virginia Department of Health is adding the smoking status of Virginia restaurants to its Website on restaurant health inspections.



The popular state Web site averages more than 90,000 visits a month. It displays health inspection information gathered from more than 60,000 unannounced restaurant inspections a year throughout Virginia.



State Health Commissioner Karen Remley says this information can help diners decide where to eat. The new information for each restaurant will now include whether smoking is permitted or banned. Smoke-free facilities are identified with a nonsmoking icon.

Survey says....

The 2007 Virginia Youth Tobacco Survey (YTS) results are in and the word is out - Big Declines in Youth Smoking!

VTSF had the honor of hosting a press conference last Tuesday where Governor Tim Kaine announced that youth smoking rates in Virginia have hit the lowest point this decade. According to the YTS results, Virginia is almost 5 percent below the national average for high school smoking!

You can read the entire press release and more about the survey in general here:

http://www.vtsf.org/data/youth-tobacco-survey.asp

What phenomenal news and what a great way to share it! The press conference alone reached over 668,000 Virginians and even more have read about our amazing outcomes through The Associated Press, The Washington Post, The Richmond Times, and The Roanoke Times among other print reports.

Enjoy this moment of celebrity, folks because you have all played a part in this incredible achievement. Local programs are a key component to the youth smoking declines we have seen in Virginia over the last six years. Andrew Carnegie once said that teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results. I could not agree more.

ALA calls on VCU to break ties with Big Tobacco

Click over to this article in Style Weekly highlighting how the National and Virginia chapters of the American Lung Association are calling on VCU and all Virginia colleges to "refuse all research and sponsorship funding from the tobacco industry.”

http://www.styleweekly.com/article.asp?idarticle=17653

Join the race...

Mark your calendar for a very exciting
conference you don’t want to miss!

Virginia’s First Comprehensive
Statewide Cancer Conference
“JOINING THE RACE TO CONQUER CANCER”

Registration and agenda are available at www.cmevillage.com

(look under educational opportunities tab, live conferences, by date)

When & Where:
Thursday and Friday, November 20-21, 2008
Doubletree Hotel,
990 Hilton Heights Road, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22901

Call (434) 973-2121 by October 29 for CPAC Room Reservations
Registration Fees:
Registrations prior to September 30th: $50
Registrations after September 30th: $75
Credits: 1.2 CEUs

Who should attend?
This conference is for healthcare professionals, community leaders, public health
professionals, policy makers and the general public.

■ Come listen to keynote speaker Steven Patierno,

Executive Director of The GW Cancer Institute
■ Attend sessions with national speakers
■ Learn about the Virginia Cancer Plan 2008-2012
■ Get practical information about cancer
■ Networking opportunities
For more information contact:
Lucie Ferguson: lucie_ferguson@bshsi.org
Nila Saliba: ns7e@virginia.edu
Rachel Schmidt: rachel.schmidt@comcast.net

Wacky Tabacky Article

Ever heard of Crown 7, Snus or Ariva? Check out this article from The New York Post which outlines these and other hip, new forms of smokeless tobacco which are gaining in popularity, especially among young women.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08192008/entertainment/wacky_tabacky_125036.htm

You'll hear even more about emerging tobacco trends later in September at our 7th Annual Grantee Conference.

Parenting Workshops - Roanoke area

Guiding Good Choices® Workshops
Building Strong Family Ties

The Roanoke County Prevention Council is offering workshops for parents of children in grades 3 through 8.

The sessions include:
healthy beliefs and clear standards in the family
strengthening parenting skills
strengthening family communication skills
dealing with peer pressure
challenges of adolescence
building protective factors

A special feature of the Guiding Good Choices® program is peer refusal skills. Refusal skills focus on ways to avoid high-risk activities under peer pressure and still maintain important friendships. Workshops are available for: Parents, Schools, Faith Based Groups, Community Coalitions, Civic Organizations Health/Human Service Organizations

Cost to parents attending workshops is $40.00 paid by the first session by cash or certified check payable to Family Service of Roanoke Valley.

Class schedule for September 2008:

Brambleton Center September 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th 6:30pm – 8:30pm


To register for classes contact:
Brooks Michael
Roanoke County Prevention Council
mailto:lhatcher@fsrv.org or 540-314-5030

So many training opportunities, so little time!

Virginia Statewide Parent Education Coalition (VSPEC) will host the

2nd Annual Statewide Parent Education Conference

Parent Education in Virginia ~ We’re All in This Together

Monday, September 15, 2008

TIME: 8:30am-4:30pm (8:30am Registration & Sign In)**
Continental Breakfast and Lunch Provided **
PLACE: Holiday Inn Select Richmond- Koger South Conference Center
10800 Midlothian Turnpike, Richmond, VA 23225

COST: $25.00 Registration Fee (The registration fee will remain the same as last year. This includes all food and conference materials.)

REGISTRATION FORM: The registration form and tentative agenda is available on the Rural Virginia United Coalition web site at www.rvuc.com

Lifestyle Medicine Conference in Salem

Carilion Clinic is sponsoring a two-day, evidence-based, lifestyle medicine conference on Sept 15-16 at Roanoke College in Salem. This cutting-edge event, supported by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, will feature three international experts on the science and practice of lifestyle medicine and is intended for physicians. Psychologists, healthcare providers, educators, scientists and anyone with an interest in the management and prevention of major illnesses would also greatly benefit from this program. Topics include how to prevent and reverse heart disease, nutritional treatments, the looming healthcare crisis and the need for lifestyle medicine.

To register, call 800-422-8482 or visit http://www.lifestylemedicine.org/

More Ammo for Clean Indoor Air

Public smoking bans improve health and now there's one more study to prove it. Check out this link to a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that examined hospital admissions for acute coronary syndrome in nine Scottish hospitals before and after their nationwide clean indoor air legislation was enacted.

http://www.rwjf.org/publichealth/digest.jsp?id=8310&c=EMC-ND141

The evidence is mounting so the pressure is on Virginia!

If you are interested in this issue, contact the Virginians for a Healthy Future and ask about their current postcard campaign .

www.smokefreevanow.org

or info@vfhr.org.

Family Day Dinner in Roanoke

If you are in the Roanoke area, mark your calendars for

Monday, September 22nd. Join the Roanoke County Prevention Council's celebration of Family Day with a day to eat dinner with your kids.

Dinner will be provided by Ukrops at 6p.m. at the Arnold R. Burton Center. Seating is limited so RSVP by September 15th at http://www.preventioncouncil4youth.org/

Alicia Keys says "Back Off!" to PM

Read more about how the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and singer Alicia Keys worked together to end Philip Morris branding on her concert in Indonesia.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/07/31/keys.cigarettes.ap/index.html

More photos from McHarg Elem

Know Your Body at McHarg Elementary

On July 30, I had the pleasure of escorting VTSF Executive Director Marty Kilgore and Delegate Dave Nutter's legislative aide Angie Hall to McHarg Elementary School in Radford. We enjoyed seeing the Know Your Body program implemented with the summer enrichment academy kids. Kudos to Radford City Schools for starting off their grant year with such a fun and fantastic tobacco use prevention program!

Southwest Va Beauty

As we all know, Southwest Virginia is remarkable is a number of ways. To live, work and play here in the mountains is indeed very special. SWVA is even more unique for VTSF this fiscal year since we have a record high number of grantees – 29. That's more than any other region of the state! VTSF programs will be happening throughout SWVA – in public and private schools, through community service boards, community centers, correctional facilities, and through other non-profit organizations and groups. You've probably heard me say this before but it certainly bears repeating -- Southwest is simply the best!

Is your passport ready?

Join us as we explore Grassroots Programs: The Passport to Healthy, Tobacco-Free Youth at the 7th Annual VTSF Grantee Training Conference in Newport News.

Click on this link to view the entire registration brochure:

http://www.vtsf.org/grantees/forms/VTSFRegistrationForm.pdf

Registration is now open, so take a look at the form to review the schedule of events for September 24-25. Read the exciting session descriptions and find out where you want your passport to take you! Then click on over to our website to register online. You will then be sent a confirmation email with your conference "itinerary."

Participation at our conference is a requirement of your grant and up to two individuals from your organization should attend. We pack a lot into just a couple of days....new tobacco prevention info, dynamic presenters, networking opportunities and so much more. We promise the 2008 Grantee Conference will be a journey like no other!

Breaking Up is Hard to Do...

...with tobacco, that is.

That's what several hundred Canadian teens indicated through a recent study conducted by the University of Montreal. The research cites some very interesting trends found in the process by which young people become addicted to nicotine. It happens earlier and quicker than most young people would ever believe! This study was also published online in the American Journal of Public Health.

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=4837e433-2a9d-46ce-a4d9-ab95d1312fa0

Polonium-210

Is that a hot, new sportscar from Italy? Or is it the next version of Windows due out in 2010?

Neither.

It's a radioactive, cancer-causing chemical found in cigarettes and tobacco smoke that tobacco companies have been trying downplay for years. A new study by researchers at the Mayo Clinic and Stanford University, found that tobacco companies suppressed publication of their own internal research about the presence and potential health effects of polonium-210. Based on a review of internal tobacco industry documents, the study found that tobacco companies for 40 years have been concerned about the public relations and litigation problems posed by polonium-210 in cigarettes and sought to avoid public attention to the issue for fear of “waking a sleeping giant,” as one Philip Morris document put it. The study found that tobacco companies “continue to minimize its [polonium-210’s] importance in smoking and health litigation and remain silent on the issue on their Web sites and in their messages to consumers.”

Citing prior research, the study states, “It is estimated that smokers of 1.5 packs of cigarettes a day are exposed to as much radiation as they would receive from 300 chest X-rays a year. PO-210 has been estimated to be responsible for 1% of all U.S. lung cancers…. PO-210 may be responsible for more than 1,600 deaths in the United States and 11,700 deaths in the world every year.” Polonium-210 received significant media attention in 2006 when it was found to have been used in the fatal poisoning of former KGB agent Alexander V. Litvinenko.

Source: Statement from Matthew Myers, outgoing President of the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, dated July 16, 2008.

Y St. and You

Applications for the $2,000 Y Street Mini-Grants will continue to be accepted until July 31st. These mini-grants are available to any youth-serving organization, club or youth group in Virgina and can help connect YOUR kids to a one-of-a-kind statewide youth movement.

The Y Street Mini-Grants will begin this September and are an easy way to involve your kids in tobacco control advocacy activities AND help raise funds for your group. To learn more, visit this site and download the grant application: www.ystreet.org/grants. Two thousand bucks could buy a lot of t-shirts, pizzas, or GAS for your student organization!

Turning Technology Grant Opportunity

Some of you may remember the fun "clickers" used at our last VTSF grantee conference but for those who were not there, these audience response gadgets integrate into Microsoft® PowerPoint® and allow audiences and students to participate in presentations or lectures by submitting responses to interactive questions using a ResponseCard® keypad or other hand-held/computer devices.

This company now has a grant opportunity for K-12 schools to obtain this neat gizmo. Visit this site to learn more:

<http://cts.vresp.com/c/TurningTechnologiesL/ec791cd86d/185c7fc7d6/d29aa740bf/cid=k12grant08>

Fit Kids Act

As many of you know, childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions here in our country. By 2010, 20% of U.S. children are expected to be obese, increasing their danger of suffering from heart disease as adults. What does this have to do with tobacco use prevention you ask? A lot! Studies have found that youth involved in sports are less likely to smoke.

Take a look at this new initiative by the American Heart Association which proposes an amendment to the No Child Left Behind Act which would encourage schools to provide regular, quality physical education and promote healthy lifestyles. This legislation can make a real difference in the quality of our kids’ lives – now and in the future. Click on over and see how your young people can take part. There's a fun photo petition of well-worn sneakers, resources for kids' health/fitness and an email template to send to legislators. http://www.fitkidsact.org/

Don't forget!

REMINDER to all new one year grantees (FY 08-09)

Please sign and return two copies of the contract that was emailed to you with your award letter as well as your signed acknowledgement form from the VTSF Grants Administration Manual. These are your first grant reporting requirements and must be submitted to our Richmond office before any invoices/reimbursements can be processed. Thanks to those who have already sent them in.

Yabba Dabba WHAT?

There's more than one reason these moms are outraged....

Check it out!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NAExoSozc2c

Teens and Smoke Free Restaurants

If you didn't catch this Associated Press article last month, be sure to read on. Very interesting findings regarding the impact of smoke free policies on our youth.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/nation/05/06/0506smokingstudy.html

Latino Council Fellowship Opportunity

I recently learned of a fellowship opportunity through the National Latino Council on Alcohol and Tobacco Prevention (LCAT). This fellowship program was designed in 2001 to address the leadership shortage in Hispanic tobacco use prevention and control efforts at the community level. The purpose of the program is to create a trained cadre of Hispanic/Latino tobacco control advocates to work on public awareness and public policy initiatives in communities throughout the country. If you have interest or know of others who might be good candidates, please email me at jmartin@vtsf.org for the application details. The deadline is July 3rd.

OOPS!

So for all of you over-achieving new one year grantees out there, please throw out the one year invoice you may have already downloaded from our website. We just ran it through another test and found a glitch. So sorry for any confusion! As of Wednesday (June 4) the correct version was posted so please use that one.

Start spreading the news....

New York now has the nation's highest cigarette tax bringing a pack to $10 in New York City.

They've certainly got the right idea as the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids states "Every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes will reduce youth smoking by about seven percent and overall cigarette consumption by about four percent."

Here's the full article for your reading pleasure:

http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/health/984263,cigarette060308.article

Tar Jar Instructions

Thanks to Dawn Viers at New River Valley Community Services, we can all make our own Tar Jars now! Check out this link for information on tobacco use prevention activities that you and your class can create on your own.

The Tar Jar is an item sold by Health EdCo and similar companies as a teaching tool to graphically illustrate a year's worth of tar that accumulates in a smoker's lungs.

http://www.tarwars.org/PreBuilt/TobaccoEducationExperimentsAndActivities.pdf

Telethon scheduled to promote cancer research

Check out the following article highlighting the upcoming joint telethon between ABC, CBS and NBC to benefit cancer research:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/28/arts/television/28canc.html

Charles Gibson, Katie Couric and Brian Williams, the evening news anchors from the three networks will be involved and each one of them has lost a family member to cancer. With some Hollywood "Red Carpet Regulars" appearing and a huge national viewing audience, wouldn't it be nice to have a mention made of the importance of tobacco use prevention in the fight against cancer?

A warm welcome to....

Our Newest One-Year Grant Recipients:

Bristol Youth Services
Chilhowie Elementary School
Community Youth Program at St. John’s, Inc.
Grayson County Public Schools
Henry County Public Schools
Mountain View Youth and Family Services
Pittsylvania County Community Action Inc.
Planning District One Behavioral Health Services
Presbyterian Community Center
Pulaski County Public Schools
Radford City Public Schools
Roanoke County Public Schools
Rooftop of Virginia CAP
St. John Neumann Academy
Support to Eliminate Poverty (STEP), Inc.
Virginia Wilderness Institute

Some of you are what I like to call "repeat offenders" :) and others are brand new.

Either way, I'm thrilled to be your VTSF point person and will be delighted to start another

exciting year of tobacco use prevention programs in Southwest.

See you in Blacksburg on Tuesday!

Heard of Salvia???

Salvia is a hallucinogenic member of the sage family also known as "Magic Mint" or "Sally-D" that can be smoked or chewed. This article form Newsweek delves into the sale of salvia and its growing popularity among youth.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/136317
Some states are now considering banning the substance or criminalizing its sale or possession. Luckily the Virginia General Assembly acted on this information during this year's session and Salvia is now a controlled substance, listed as a Schedule I hallucinogenic drug.

Is this a well-known substance among youth in your community?

A new wrinkle in smoking enforcement....

Funny article from Yahoo news on an age-verification process being considered with tobacco vending machines in Japan.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080512/od_nm/smoking_dc;_ylt=AjMsSxVz.Ftrb_EXYx.g0cztiBIF

Roanoke County LST Banner

The LST program participants at Oak Grove Elementary School in Roanoke County made this cool, tie-dyed banner for their peers at Hidden Valley High School, encouraging them to stay tobacco and drug free. It was on display during Red Ribbon Week in October. Thanks to Fran Kiker in the Guidance Department for the photo!

Carroll County Students

Here are a few fine Carroll County students getting involved in a Kick Butts Day activity and getting an up close and personal look at the tar caused by smoking. The 6th and 7th grade students wrapped up their Life Skills Training program with a year-end pizza party!

Thanks to Jeanette Phillips with Mountain View Youth and Family Services for submitting the photos.

Calling all shutterbugs...

Please, please, please send me some of your digital program pictures.


If you have shots of your programs in action, groups of smiling program participants or pictures of your year-end celebration events etc. PLEASE send them my way.


I'd like to post them here and more importantly also forward them to our Richmond office so they can be included in our grantee clips video at our conference in September.


Let's see those smiling SOUTHWEST faces!

Save the date!

Mark your calendars for the VTSF Annual Grantee Conference

on September 24-25

at the Marriott Newport News at City Center.

We're gearing up with a jam-packed schedule of riveting speakers, information-loaded sessions and resources galore! More registration information will be forthcoming from our Program Specialists Charlie McLaughlin and Terri-ann Brown but as a reminder, be sure to flip forward to your Fall calendar and set aside those dates now.

Small Innovative Grant Opportunity

American Legacy Foundation is currently accepting Letters of Intent (LOI) for the Small Innovative Grants Program. Through this program, Legacy supports projects that advance creative, promising solutions based on sound principles of tobacco control to remedy the harm caused by tobacco use in America. Grants under this program seed new projects or enable an organization to pilot a new idea or approach. Legacy issues renewable grants for up to $100,000 for the first year of funding. Upon invitation, grantees may apply for a second year of funding for up to 50% of the amount awarded in the first year.

All applicants must submit a Letter of Intent. Twice a year, Legacy will invite a limited number of grants under this program. The next deadline for letters of intent is Friday, May 23, 2008, at 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time. Please visit the Grants section of the Legacy website, http://www.americanlegacy.org/1710.aspx , for guidelines and on-line application instructions.


Robin Scott Program Officer, Grantsph 202.454.5579 fx 202.454.5599 rscott@americanlegacy.org
American Legacy Foundation
1724 Massachusetts Ave, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036

Building A World where young people Reject Tobacco and Anyone Can Quit

About American Legacy Foundation

Two Time Magazine Articles

Thanks to the folks at NRV Community Services for passing these links along. Two neat articles on nicotine addiction.....

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1727624,00.html

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1727161,00.html

Latino Tobacco Use Control Forum - April 22nd

Latino Communities: Up in Smoke?
A National Campaign for Tobacco-Free Latino Lives and Communities

Sully Governmental Center
April 22, 2008
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Chantilly, VA

Program Description
The National Latino Council on Alcohol and Tobacco Prevention (LCAT) invites you to attend a forum titled, “The Latino Community: Up in Smoke? A National Campaign for Tobacco-Free Latino Lives and Communities”. The goal of the forum is to bring together local organizations in an environment that strengthens current relationships, fosters new ones and promotes change in the Latino community regarding tobacco usage and related matters.

The forum will provide participants with an opportunity to share data and information, strategies and success stories that deal with the issue of tobacco prevention in the Latino community. Presentations will be followed by facilitated group discussions that will offer practical information about tobacco prevention, coalition building and culminate in the creation of a group action agenda.

Target Audience
Among others, Latino community service providers, whether or not services provided deal with tobacco issues, community-based organizations or individuals, governmental health and related agencies and Latino community-based media.

Location
Sully Governmental Center
4900 Stonecroft Avenue
Chantilly, VA 20151

Registration
There is no pre-registration or fee for this event. It is open to the public.

Questions
Wynnie Lamour
Project Coordinator
National Latino Council on Alcohol and Tobacco Prevention Control
Telephone 212.334.5738
WLAMOUR@NLCATP.ORG

Not your Grandpa's stogie....

Cigars have changed dramatically over the last few years and with these changes has come an increase in popularity, especially among youth. With kid-friendly flavors (think strawberry, grape and vanilla) and heightened exposure in music, movies and ads, cigars are no longer relegated to old men's poker games! The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids recently posted a new factsheet on their website entitled, The Rise of Cigars and Cigar-Smoking Harms. http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0333.pdf

Check it out!

VTSF training info

VTSF offers training in many topic areas for youth program providers. Take a look at the summer 2008 schedule on our website to see if any topics interest you/your agency.

Remember - you do not have to be a VTSF grantee to participate so feel free to spread the word!

http://www.vtsf.org/registration/upcoming-programs.asp

FDA legislation bill

Congress is currently reviewing legislation that would provide FDA oversight of tobacco products. Read about the latest developments at this New York Times link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/03/business/03tobacco.html?_r=1&ref=business

After-School Conference

Calling All After-School Program Providers

This flyer is from Rescue Social Change Group (RSCG) regarding their upcoming conference on after-school programs. Some of you might remember Jeff Jordan of RSCG from our previous grantee conferences.

RSCG is the contractor used by VTSF for the street marketing elements of the Y? campaign. You can find out more at http://www.boostconference.org/

We at VTSF are in hopes of including some of this info at our grantee conference in September.

Thoughts? Feedback? Suggestions?

Email me!

Kick Butts Day - April 2nd!

Many of you have events and activities planned for Kick Butts Day on April 2nd but if not, it's not too late to plan. Check out http://www.kickbuttsday.org/ for tons of resources.

Kick Butts Day is an annual national celebration of youth tobacco-use prevention efforts and activities sponsored by the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. This would be a great way to reward your program participants and get them involved as tobacco use prevention activists!

Virginia Tobacco Use Data

Updated Virginia tobacco use statistics have just been posted to the VTSF website thanks to the

Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.

Click on over to get the latest numbers:

www.vtsf.org/data/index.asp

Town Hall Meeting with Gov. Kaine

Governor Kaine is holding Town Hall Meetings next week in Roanoke, Norfolk, and Front Royal. The Virginians for a Healthy Future Coalition encourages smoke free air advocates to utilize this opportunity to tell legislators, the Governor and the media that you and your community want and support smoke free air. Supporters of the smoke free air laws and the banning of smoking in public places are encouraged to attend, to thank the Governor for his support of smoke free air legislation and to encourage legislators to support smoke free air legislation. All town hall meetings are open to the public and the media. This is a very effective way for individuals to convey to the media that smoke free legislation is important and supported.

No sign-in is required to attend or to ask questions or make comments.

Monday, March 17, 2008 - Roanoke
Time: 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: Patrick Henry High School Auditorium
2102 Grandin Road Southwest
Roanoke, VA

FREE online substance abuse prevention course

Foundations of Prevention is an online course offered by the Center for Substance
Abuse Prevention that covers the basic core knowledge of substance abuse prevention,
providing information on prevention principles, approaches, strategies, as well as
guidance for planning effective programs and measuring results. The course consists of
eight instructional units. It may be taken for FREE or continuing education credits are
available through the University of Maryland College Park for $25.

To access this course:
Go to www.samhsa.gov
Click on Center for Substance Abuse Prevention [CSAP] (right column)
Click on Prevention Platform (left column)
Register as a user to utilize the tools
Click on Training at the top of the page
Click on featured Resources
Click on CSAP’s Foundations of Prevention On-Line Course
Follow the prompts to register to take this specific course

Happy Leap Year Everyone!

RFP #852P009 - Due March 19th

As your calendar flips over to March, remember that the one-year grant proposals are due in to our Richmond office by 4:00 p.m. on March 19th. The proposal development training in Blacksburg was a big success. Over 40 individuals were in attendance and the evaluation feedback was overwhelmingly positive. If you have additional questions or need assistance with your finishing touches, be sure to contact us!

Site visit follow up

* REMINDER *

If you have already had your VTSF site visit, please be sure to complete any follow up items outlined on your site visit action form and send them in. I'm slowly but surely finishing up all grantee visits in the next couple of weeks and will get those remaining reports emailed back to you soon. If you have questions, don't hesitate to call or email me.

FREE School Signs Available

YES FREE STUFF!

I will be getting a quantity of these heavy-duty plastic tobacco free signs to distribute throughput our region. Let me know asap if you our your schools are interested in one or more.

Now we'll see who the regular VTSF blog readers are...

April 5th - Y Street Training

Calling all high school youth!

Ydouthink will be hosting a Y St. Training in Abingdon at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center on Saturday, April 5th.

Y St. is a youth-led movement where young people advocate against tobacco use. As part of the ydouthink campaign, Y St. youth advocate for smokefree lifestyles and educate other youth through events and activism. In Y St., youth aren’t just volunteers; they are a promoter, designer, activist, event planner, and leader. Youth can earn valuable credit for community service hours, and other rewards like cash, gear, scholarships, and prizes.

Currently, there are over 1,500 youth statewide that have attended Y St. Trainings and are now official Y St. Members. There are only 50 available invitations for this training session however, and typically over 200 youth apply. Youth must be invited to attend so encourage interested high school age youth to apply today at http://www.ystreet.org/. Or let us know if you could use brochures and posters to support your recruitment efforts and some can be sent directly to you. If you have questions or need more information, feel free to contact me or our Marketing Director Danny Saggese at 804-225-3624.

Youth Leadership Conference - March 15

The 2008 SWVA Regional YADAPP

(Youth Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Project)

will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2008 from 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

at Hollins University in Roanoke.

This is a great leadership opportunity designed for teams of

youth and adult leaders (middle and high school) from all areas - schools, youth serving organizations, faith communities etc.

Contact the Roanoke County Prevention Council for more information or to register (540-772-4341).

Pass it on!

GOSAP grant opportunity

The Governor’s Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (GOSAP) is pleased to announce the 2008-2009 Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA) Grant Program. The Request for Proposals (RFP) outlining the program components and specifics is now available at http://www.gosap.virginia.gov/SDFSCA/announcement2008-2009.htm .

GOSAP SDFSCA grant programs are intended to supplement the SDFSCA funds that flow directly from the Virginia Department of Education to every local school division for substance abuse and violence prevention programming. In addition, community needs assessments regarding youth substance abuse and violence may also seek GOSAP SDFSCA funds.

Organizations who intend to submit a proposal for this funding are required to have a representative attend one of the three RFP Workshops. Workshops are being held in Newport News on February 29, 2008, in Wytheville on March 5, 2008, and in Stafford County on March 7, 2008. Please see the web site (see above) for specifics regarding the workshops.

If you are not able to reach the web site, or still have questions after reading the RFP and information, please contact Joy Rogers-Murphy at the VCU Center for School-Community Collaboration at (804) 828-1482 or rodgersmurlj@vcu.edu.

Help Teens Quit Teleconferences

The Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the University of Pittsburg School of Medicine is hosting a series of conference calls for health care providers in tackling teen cessation.

The "Let's Talk" Series will run from March-November with five differnt topic areas including interviewing tobacco using teens, pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic aids, and partnering with local tobacco cessation programs. You can find more information and registration details at http://www.paaap.org/.

Sheraton goes Smoke Free

Great news! According to Yahoo News Sheraton Hotels & Resorts and Four Points by Sheraton Hotel brands will ban smoking at more than 300 hotels and resorts throughout the U.S., Caribbean and Canada. The new policy follows one implemented at Westin Hotels & Resorts, which became smoke-free in 2006. Westin and Sheraton are both owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

Some 8,000 rooms at the hotels will be cleaned, including treatments for air conditioning, walls, rugs, upholstery and hard surfaces. Smoking will also be banned in public areas in the hotels but there will be a designated outdoor area at each property for guests who smoke. There are already 70 Sheraton and Four Points by Sheraton hotels in the U.S., Canada & Caribbean that are smoke-free. Both hotel brands expect to be completely smoke-free in the U.S. and Canada by Dec. 31.

Any American Idol fans out there?

One of the new Y? Campaign television spots named "Kiss," will air tonight during the American Idol broadcast on Fox.

Others soon to be released are "Revolution" and "Meatbelt" (don't ask!) so keep watching for the latest and greatest Ydouthink? ads.

They'll definitely get you and your kids' attention!

Inhalant Abuse Prevention Info

The Virginia Inhalant Abuse Prevention Coalition is sponsoring the Inhalant Abuse Prevention Awareness Institute March 12, 2008 (8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel in Staunton. Cost: $55 before February 15. $65 after February 15. Registration is handled through Rockingham Memorial Hospital. Call 800-433-4580 or register online at
www.rmhonline.com. Select Classes and Events from the main menu and then Event Calendar. CEU/SACAVA hours will be available through JMU.

Congratulations Bristol Youth Services!

On January 24, 2008 our very own Bristol, Virginia was announced as a winner of the 100 Best Communities for Young People award from America’s Promise, the nation’s largest alliance dedicated to children and youth, in partnership with Capital One. The winners were announced on NBC’s Today show and were honored at an awards reception in Washington, D.C.

Bristol Youth Services, a VTSF grantee, applied for this award and highlighted the wide range of programs available for young people and families in their community. Applicants for the award submitted detailed information on existing community programs and initiatives that help deliver to youth the Five Promises – resources identified by America’s Promise as being critical for success in life: caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, effective education and opportunities to help others. One of their winning factors was their VTSF grant-funded Life Skills Training program, an ongoing collaboration between Bristol Youth Services and Bristol City Schools.

Kudos to Bristol Youth Services and the city of Bristol on their outstanding new distinction!

Let's hope this changes in 2008!

Governor Kaine Introduces Smoking Ban Legislation

On January 7, 2008, Governor Timothy M. Kaine proposed legislation for a statewide ban on smoking in restaurants, including dining establishments in public and private clubs. The legislation also clarifies the definition of a restaurant for purposes of the smoking ban.

Standing with members of the Hampton Roads Mayors and Chairs Caucus, the Virginia Beach Restaurant Association, General Assembly members, and medical and public health officials at Hot Tuna Bar & Grill in Virginia Beach, the Governor noted the public health risks of secondhand smoke.

“The scientific evidence on the health risks associated with exposure to secondhand smoke is clear and convincing,” said Governor Kaine. “Recognizing the negative health effects and high public costs of secondhand smoke, Virginia must act to protect the workers and consumers in its restaurants.”

To send your comments to the Governor on this proposed legislation, visit our online form.
To contact your legislator, visit the General Assembly site.

The Virginia Department of Health estimates that secondhand smoke is responsible for 1,700 deaths per year. The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids estimates that the Commonwealth spends $124.9 million a year on health care expenditures related to secondhand smoke exposure.

The proposed legislation changes the definition of a restaurant to any food establishment – including dining establishments of public and private clubs – where food is available for sale and consumption by the public and includes the areas of a restaurant where food is prepared, served or consumed. The proposal excludes exterior dining areas of food establishments from the ban.
The recommendation for this definition was provided by the Department of Health, who held several public input sessions last year with interested groups and citizens on constructing the definition for purposes of a smoking ban. The Medical Society of Virginia, the Virginia Chapter of the American Heart Association, the Virginia Chapter of the Lung Associations, the Cancer Society, March of Dimes, and American Academy of Pediatrics participated in the process.

Restaurant employees face major health risks when exposed to secondhand smoke at work. According to the American Lung Association, levels of secondhand smoke in restaurants and bars were found to be 2 to 5 times higher than in residences with smokers and 2 to 6 times higher than in office workplaces. Additionally, the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine reports that food service workers have a 50 percent greater risk of dying from lung cancer than the general population, in part, because of secondhand smoke exposure in the workplace.

In October 2006, Governor Kaine signed Executive Order 41 banning smoking in all state buildings and vehicles in order to improve the health of Virginia’s employees and minimize health risks in the work place.