Updated Legislative Forms Needed

Don't forget to email me your updated legislative contact form by Tuesday, December 1st. You should identify the State Delegate and State Senator for each of your program locations and include their Richmond office addresses.

Thanks!

Tues Dec 1st - Celebrate Smoke Free Restaurants!

Join me in DINING OUT on Tuesday, December 1st in honor of Virginia's landmark smoke-free restaurant legislation! Yes that's right, all restaurants in the Commonwealth will now be smoke-free (unless they choose to consturct a separately ventilated area for smokers). See the link to a letter from the State Health Commissioner asking you to dine out on December 1st to support the new law.
http://www.healthyyouthva.org/documents/announcements/Commonwealth_Challenge_smoke_free_dining.pdf

So go on - grab your friends and family and find your favorite eatery on Tuesday night (I'm sure you're tired of turkey by now anyway). Then take a deep breath of fresh air and know that I, and many others are celebrating this historic day too!

Have You Seen Flavored Tobacco Products for Sale?

On September 22, 2009, the FDA ban on clove, candy and fruit-flavored cigarettes went into effect. This ban was mandated by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act that created the new FDA Center on Tobacco Products, and is a long overdue step to end the tobacco industry’s recruitment of youth as “replacement smokers” by appealing to them with flavored products. It makes it illegal to manufacture, distribute, sell or import any cigarette (including roll-your-own tobacco and rolling papers) containing herb, spice or fruit flavors. The only flavors still allowed for cigarettes are menthol and tobacco.

The ban of flavored cigarettes is an important opportunity for you to provide timely and useful information to the FDA. Reporting violations of the law is crucial and will allow FDA to successfully enforce the Act. In addition, any information you provide regarding other flavored tobacco products will assist FDA as it examines options for regulating these products. A collection of sample images of what you can look for is available at: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/campaign/flavoredcigaretteban_reference_112009.pdf.

Some tobacco companies are attempting to get around the ban by selling flavored cigarettes but labeling them as “little cigars.” These “little cigars” are really cigarettes in disguise and are also subject to the flavor ban.

In addition, the FDA is empowered by the new law to take action on flavored tobacco products other than cigarettes, such as flavored cigars and flavored smokeless tobacco, but it needs proof of how these products are appealing to youth in order to assert that authority.

If you are aware of continued sales of flavored cigarettes and/or roll-your-own tobacco and rolling papers, it is important to let the FDA know! Call or email me to get the reporting information that is required to document such sales.

Or you can contact the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids directly via Victoria Almquist at valmquist@tobaccofreekids.org.

Incidentally, this would be a great topic for discussion/activity with your youth. They usually love "enforcement" type projects!

Bring on those fruits and veggies

About 100,500 new cases of cancer are caused by obesity every year, according to the most comprehensive attempt ever to estimate the cancers attributed to extra weight. The analysis, released recently by the American Institute for Cancer Research, is based on updated cancer data and a report released earlier this year by a panel of experts.

The types of cancer most strongly linked to excess body fat include breast cancer, endometrial, kidney, colorectal, pancreas, esophagus, and gall bladder. For the full story click here:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2009-11-05-obesity_N.htm

Delegate Ware visits Westside Elementary

Kudos to Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare for arranging a legislative visit with Delegate Onzlee Ware of Roanoke. Delegate Ware joined the Magic Place kids at Westside Elementary last Wednesday to learn more about the Too Good for Drugs program. Sheila Lythgoe, Prevention Specialist with BRBH is pictured here providing the lesson for some very eager participants!

Delegate Crockett-Stark visits Bland Elem

On Wednesday, October 28 I had the pleasure of visiting Bland Elementary School along with Delegate "Annie B" Crockett-Stark and Richard Foster the VFHY Public Affairs Coordinator. We joined Brooke Bates from Mount Rogers Community Services and sat in on a wonderful group of fourth graders learning about the Life Skills Training program.

Brooke pulled out all of the bells and whistles for us....using the LST cd-rom and Smart Board! The kids were engaged, we loved it and Delgate Crockett-Stark was wowed for sure. Another fantastic legislative visit by another outstanding grantee.

Senator Reynolds visits Floyd High

Thanks to New River Valley Community Services for arranging a legislative visit from state Senator Roscoe Reynolds to the Toward No Drug Use program at Floyd High School. Check out these fabulous eighth grade program participants along with the adults (from L to R): their classroom teacher Mrs. Sue Banks, Senator Reynolds, Dr. Colleen Kraft-Carilion pediatrician, Mrs. Linda Vaught-NRVCS Prevention Specialist who teaches TND, and Dr. Terry Arbogast-Superintendent of Floyd County Schools. Great program, great contact with a legislator, great fall colors in our photo....what could be better?

More Conference Photos!