Jan 28th - Smokefree Bills in Senate - Need speakers!

The smoke-free bills in the Senate will be heard in the special subcommittee on smoking of the Senate Education and Health Committee tomorrow, Wednesday, January 28th at 4:30 pm in Senate Room 1 in the CAPITOL Building (not the General Assembly Building).

The bills to be heard include:
SB 1057 - Senator Mary Margaret Whipple ( VFHF Bill)
SB 1160 - Senator Richard Saslaw - prohibits smoking in restaurants
SB 1382 - Senator Stolle - VFHF opposes this bill
(other bills could be referred to the committee as well)
If you or your members are able to testify in subcommittee please contact Nicole Pugar at nicole@vfhf.org with Virginians for a Healthy Future (VFHF) or at 804-225-5828.

We do not yet know how much time will be allotted for speakers in favor of smoke-free legislation and if this is going to be a subcommittee meeting or a public hearing (as took place last year). As we learn more we will let you know.

Postpartum Protocol Script for Tobacco Quit-Line Counseling Now Available Online

In collaboration with ten other organizations, Legacy has published an online protocol designed to be used as a practical tool by tobacco quit-line counselors during their sessions with postpartum women. The protocol offers detailed counseling guidelines for counselors to use as they encourage and support postpartum mothers to quit smoking, or remain quit after delivery and eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke.

Learn more and access the protocol. <http://www.reviewsite.net/legacy_e-news/dec_2008/article5.html>

CROC’S Initiates Clean Indoor Air Week

Please see the attached press release from our YCAT member Laura Wood Habr at Croc's. Croc's has declared next week as Clean Indoor Air Week and will donate part of their proceeds to YCAT and Clean Indoor Air initiatives. It's a great way to support the tobacco free issues we all have been advocating for and have a great dining experience as well.

Remember, we have many restaurants in Virginia Beach who have voluntarily gone smoke free. If you need any smoke free guides, please let me know and I will get them to you. Since it's publication there have been other restaurants who have also gone smoke free. See the complete list at http://www.vahealth.org/cdpc/TUCP/smoke-free/.

Virginians for a Healthy Future Coalition Legislative Update Conference Calls

What: Update of the status of all smoke-free legislation

When: Every Friday during the 2009 Session
Friday, January 16
Friday, January 23
Friday, January 30
Friday, February 6
Friday, February 13
Friday, February 20

Time: 2:00 pm

Call in number: 1-800-353- 1667 (number for this week only)
Passcode: 334679

Data show parents may be unaware of third-hand smoke health risks

MedPage Today (12/30, Smith) reported, "Now that the risks of second-hand smoke to children have gained credibility, new concerns have arisen about 'third-hand smoke' -- the toxins left on surfaces once tobacco smoke dissipates." According to their paper appearing in the January issue of Pediatrics, researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital for Children surveyed "1,478 adults...by telephone in November 2005," and found that "93 percent of the respondents thought that second-hand smoke was dangerous to children's health, including 95.4 percent of nonsmokers and 84.1 percent of smokers." But just "61 percent thought that third-hand smoke was hazardous, including 65.2 percent of non-smokers and 43.3 percent of smokers." Noting that "such toxins are especially hazardous for children who breathe near the surfaces, crawl and play on them, or touch and mouth them," the authors concluded that clinicians should emphasize "that third-hand smoke harms the health of children may be an important element in encouraging home smoking bans."

New Study - Smoking bans reduce heart attacks

A new study conducted by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests smoking bans can significantly reduce hospitalization rates for heart attacks, Reuters reports.
http://www.rwjf.org/publichealth/digest.jsp?id=9255&c=EMC-ND141
Study Finds Smoke-Free Policy Reduced Heart Attack Hospitalizations in Colorado City

Oregon expands smoking ban

Oregon Expands Smoking Ban to Include Bars, Taverns
On January 1, Oregon became the 21st U.S. state to expand a workplace smoking ban to include restaurants, bars and taverns, the Associated Press reports.