KINGS COUNTY TOBACCO FREE

KINGS COUNTY TOBACCO CONTROL PROGRAM
330 CAMPUS DRIVE, HANFORD, CA 93230
PHONE (559)584-1401
Sheldon R. Minkin, D.O.
Health Officer, Director
Cristin Strobel, Project Director

DID YOU KNOW:

The California Department of Health Services has developed a 1-800 number under the STAKE Act for the public to report illegal sales of tobacco products to youth who appear to be under the age of 18. Take part and report illegal sales by calling 1-800-5-ASK-4-ID.

Say farewell to smoking and yes to the journey of a long and healthy life.
Quitting is hard but we're here to help!
English
1-800-7No-Butts
1-800-766-2888
1-800-844-CHEW
Spanish
1-800-456-Fume
1-800-456-6386
Asian
1-800-400-0866

Lights! Camera! Action!

Imagine this, you're sitting in a movie theater, the lights go down, the film starts rolling, and before you appears a beautiful, seductive woman. Slowly, she begins to lift a cigarette to her ruby red lips. You hear a match being struck...Suddenly, a tall, dark man touches the end of the cigarette with a hot flame. She inhales deeply and slowly blows the translucent smoke into the air between them with a smile...

The message: Smoking is sexy, will make you beautiful, and attract handsome men.

What messages do young people receive about tobacco use when they watch a movie? The tobacco industry is targeting youth through various media, but more dynamically through the movies. Images portrayed through the use of tobacco in the movies include being handsome, sexy, adventurous, intelligent, and successful, just to name a few.

To heighten awareness of the impact tobacco use in the movies has on young people, the American Lung Association has developed "Thumbs Up! Thumbs Down!". Teens involved in the "Thumbs Up! Thumbs Down!" program use a Siskel and Ebert style critique with a twist.

In this program, teens rate movies according to the amount of tobacco incidents. Movies with little or no tobacco use receive a "Thumbs Up!" and those with excessive tobacco use receive a "Thumbs Down!". It is the intent of the "Thumbs Up! Thumbs Down!" project to show the significant role the entertainment industry possesses in influencing young people to use tobacco products.

When an actress or an actor lights up or objects to tobacco use on the screen, millions of young people receive the message. So what does all of this mean, you ask? While major strides have been made in reducing tobacco use among adults, success with youth has been disappointingly slim. In fact, in California there has been a significant increase in tobacco use among teenagers.

Over 100 teens from Sacramento and Los Angeles spent a year reviewing 133 current movies and here are some of the highlights:

The amount of tobacco use in the movies:

• 23% of the movies showed no tobacco use
• Of the remaining 77%, 26% had only 1-10 incidents of tobacco use, 23% had 11-24 incidents, 18% had 25-49 incidents, and 11% showed over 50 incidents

  There is a direct correlation between movie ratings and tobacco use:

• "G" rated movies had an average of less than one incident of tobacco use per movie.
• "PG" rated movies had an average of 12 incidents of tobacco use per movie, while PG 13 had 18 incidents. Unfortunately, some PG movies reviewed were filled with smoke.
• "R" rated movies had an average of 26 incidents while a number of R rated movies had little or no tobacco use.

  When it comes to tobacco use, it is the "stars" who smoke:

• In 82% of the movies, lead and/or supporting actors used tobacco.

  Teens from the Kings County "Youth Striving for a Tobacco Free World" Coalition will be conducting the "Thumbs Up! Thumbs Down!" project to provide information on current movies playing in the local theaters as well as current video releases. This information will be published in the Kings County newspapers and the "Tobacco Free Connection Plus" newsletter.
  In the meantime, "Watch What You Watch" and analyze for yourself how much tobacco is being used in motion pictures and on regular television programs.

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  Mini-Grants

  Central Valley Linkages has mini-grants available for up to $5,000 for innovative programs that address the three priorities of the Tobacco Control Section:
  

• 1) Youth Access
  
• 2) Decrease Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke
• 3) Countering Pro-Tobacco Influences in the Community

These mini-grants must contribute to the achievement of Regional objectives as approved by the State within the three priority areas. The objectives that mini-grants must address are:


• 1) The passage of local ordinances that ban self-service displays
• 2) The reduction of second-hand smoke in the Southeast Asian or Hispanic/Latino communities
• 3) The reduction of tobacco billboard advertising
• 4) Support for efforts to get community events or event venues to refuse tobacco sponsorship
• 5) Get a local newspaper to adopt an editorial policy that rejects tobacco ads that are lifestyle based or appeal to children

To obtain an application, write to the Linkages office at:
Central Valley Linkages
2109 W. Bullard Ave., Ste. 149
Fresno, California 937111

For more information phone (209)446-2323 or Fax (209)446-2327.

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Did You Know...

Second-hand smoke increases both the number and length of children's ear infections

It is the most common cause of build-up of fluid in the inner ear, which can lead to surgery and hearing loss in youngsters.

Eating Out

The tobacco industry would like for us to believe that restaurant owners are losing revenue due to the regulation of smoking in restaurants but, according to recent studies, only 17% of restaurant patrons who smoke prefer to continue smoking while they eat. Although smokers are considered to be the biggest spenders while eating out, new research has shown that the 47% of restaurant patrons who are non-smokers account for more than twice the revenue generated.

In conclusion, the smoking population has begun adapting to the smoke free ordinance rather than violating it or avoiding eating out. So you can breathe easier restaurant owners, things aren't as bad as they may seem!
(Statistics from David Corsun et. al., "Should NYC's Restaurateurs Lighten Up?" Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, April 1996)

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Tobacco Industry Watch

The U.S. is the number one exporter of tobacco products. While consumption of tobacco products in the U.S. has plunged by 20% in the last twenty years, tobacco exports have risen by about 340% in the same time period.

The global effects of tobacco have reached the level of epidemic proportions.

• About 1/3 of the global population aged 15 years and older currently smoke.
• One person dies every 10 seconds as a result of tobacco use worldwide.
• 15% of deaths in middle-age women in industrialized countries are caused by tobacco.
• Tobacco products caused 3 million deaths per year in the early '90's. At its current pace, by the 2020's, the death toll will rise to 10 million, with 70% of those deaths in developing nations.

If this information concerns you, let your voice be heard. Contact your local, state, and/or federal officials. For a listing of officials, contact us at the Tobacco Control Program at 584-1401, extension 4522.

(Statistics from The WHO report, "The Tobacco Epidemic: A Global Public Health Emergency")

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Where Kids Purchase Tobacco Products Survey...

In November of 1995 nine schools throughout Kings County participated in a survey entitled "Where Kids Purchase Tobacco Products." 2395 surveys were completed and returned revealing the following statistics. Students completing the surveys were between the ages of ten and seventeen.

• 1. When asked if they had ever used tobacco products even once, 42.29% of students surveyed answered, yes
• 2. When asked if they had ever been offered tobacco products, 56% of students surveyed answered, yes
• 3. When asked who had offered them tobacco products, 81% of students surveyed admitted that friends had offered them tobacco products
• 4. When asked where they obtained their 1st cigarette, 62% of students surveyed admitted that friends supplied them with tobacco products
• 5. When asked if any of their friends smoked, 64% of students surveyed answered, yes
• 6. When asked how they felt about friends who smoke, 50% of students surveyed didn't care, (a common response being, "It's not me")
• 7. Cigarettes were the most commonly used form of tobacco, receiving 63% of the total responses, Cigars were second receiving 15% of the responses, and smokeless tobacco was a close 3rd receiving 14% of the responses
• 8. When asked at what age they began using tobacco products, 60% of students surveyed admitted that they were between the ages of 10-14 (12 being the most common response at 25%)
• 9. When asked where they most often purchased tobacco products, 33% of the responses indicated liquor stores as a supplier. Other sources included small markets at 25%, vending machines at 12%, and gas stations at 11%
• 10. When asked if they had ever purchased single cigarettes, 30% of students surveyed answered, yes
• 11. When asked if they had ever purchased "Kiddy Packs" (packs of 10 cigarettes), 22% of students surveyed answered yes
• 13. When asked if they had ever received free samples, 23% of students surveyed answered yes (the most common method being through the mail)

Educational packets were sent to all merchants named in the "Where Kids Purchase Tobacco Products" survey. These packets included Stop Tobacco Access to Kids (STAKE Act) materials. Merchants were also informed of the consequences for illegally selling tobacco to minors. They also received information regarding illegal single cigarette sales.

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Healthier Kings

The Healthier Kings coalition deals with issues related to public policy, such as smokefree environments, local or statewide policies as well as policies that affect youth access to tobacco products. The coalition seeks to educate and inform policy makers and the public about the impact of various decisions.
The goals for Healthier Kings in 1996 include:

• 1) Implementation of California's STAKE Act, through increased outreach to the community.
• 2) Changing the social acceptability/tolerance of tobacco.
• 3) Education of the public and policy makers on tobacco related issues.

The coming year is going to be full of interesting and fun projects for the Healthier Kings coalition members. Some of the planned activities include: the development of Public Service Announcements for radio, television, and newspapers; implementation of Operation Storefront Phase III; surveys to assess youth access to tobacco products; merchant education; STAKE Act issues; and much more!!

If you are interested in becoming a part of the Healthier Kings coalition or would like more information on upcoming projects, please contact Robin at the Tobacco Control Program, at 584-1401, extension 4522.