VICTORY!!!

I have some bad news and some good news... Oh wait. Just good news. This legislative session was a success! Through effective activism on your part, the two bills we worked on this legislative session passed. They passed! That is a 100% record this session. Good job, y'all.

After a signature by the Governor, the following changes will be happening in Utah:
- HB 95: This restricts tobacco retailers to set up shop within 1,000 feet of community centers (schools, churches, parks, etc.). This will weaken Big Tobacco's efforts of drawing in youth to tobacco use at an early age, and will keep tobacco (and illegal drugs) farther away from places that youth may gather. Score.

- HB 245: This amends the Utah Indoor Clean Air Act to include hookah pipes and eCigarettes. That means hookahs and eCigs will not be allowed in any public building. And THAT means a big step in the direction of healthier and cleaner air in Utah.

Can you feel the power of your voice yet? I sure hope so. Well, as we heard in Spiderman: "With great power comes great responsibility." I think we all have a responsibility to write our legislators and thank them for supporting these bills.

Here is what to do:
1. Copy and paste THESE EMAIL ADDRESSES into your BCC line.
2. Put something like "Thank you for supporting tobacco prevention and Utah health this year!" in the subject line.
3. Write a few sentences about the victory and how thankful you are for their support.
4. Hit send!

5. *Optional, but recommended* Come to the capitol this evening to say thanks face to face! We are meeting in the rotunda at 5:30. You can get a free shirt!

Congrats again, everyone. How is that for #winning!?

Game On! HB245 Update

Alright folks,
HB245, the bill that includes eCigarettes and hookahs in the Utah Indoor Clean Air Act (UICAA) has moved to the next stop. And it needs help moving forward!

Lets blitz the House with educational emails! Follow these simple steps:

1. Copy and paste THESE EMAIL ADDRESSES to the BCC line of your email.
2. Pick a couple talking points from the list below to share. (Feel free to add THIS IMAGE to your email to urge them to not repeat history. We have the evidence that nicotine is harmful.)
3. Share a personal story! Why is clean air important to you, your family, or community.
4. Ask them where they stand on the issue (if you hear back about this, please let us know!)
5. Send!

Easy, right? So lets do this!

(Oh, one last thing... Please send out a one lined email to THESE EMAILS [at bottom] thanking the legislators for voting yes on HB245 and passing it out of committee. Thanks!)

TALKING POINTS:

• HB245 is about protecting Utahns from involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke and other toxins in indoor public places.

• Data show that hookah and e-cigarettes have a harmful impact on health. The World Health Organization, American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others all delineate the risks of use and exposure to hookah and e-cigarettes.

• HB245 does not ban hookah or e-cigarettes or any class of product. It deals only with the use of emerging products in indoor public places. People can still buy, use, and smoke products, just not where their use will expose others.

• HB245 clarifies language in line with the intent of the Utah Indoor Clean Air Act (UICAA) to prevent secondhand exposure to toxins in the indoor public places that Utahns patronize every day. Without this bill, hookah and e-cigarette use will be allowed in all indoor public places from restaurants to libraries to healthcare facilities.

•  The UICAA prohibits tobacco smoke in indoor public places. It has since 1995. Further UICAA amendments passed by the legislature phased out smoking in bars and clubs in 2006 and 2007.

• The science is clear. Decades of research corroborate the fact that secondhand smoke is toxic.

•  Utahns support these protections. Preliminary data show an overwhelming majority of Utah adults support the Utah law that bans tobacco smoke in indoor public places, including restaurants and bars. More than three fourth of Utahns are in favor of banning tobacco smoke from hookah in the same locations.

• Cities, states, and countries all over the world are restricting exposure to hookah and e-cigarettes to protect health. Even India, the birthplace of hookah, has banned use in indoor public places, including use in so-called hookah bars. 

• The Indoor Clean Air Act must continue to protect Utahns from emerging products in the same way the Act has always protected the health of Utahns.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Lung Association recommend that tobacco smoke from hookahs be treated the same as smoke from other tobacco products and be prohibited in the same places.  

To learn more about these issues, read:

• http://www.tobaccofreeutah.org/pdfs/shs_hookah-e-cigarette.pdf

• http://www.tobaccofreeutah.org/pdfs/Hookah.pdf

• http://www.tobaccofreeutah.org/pdfs/E-Cigarette1.pdf

Welcome to the New Year

Happy New Year!

2012 is the year of the Dragon, which means a year of good fortune and a sign of intense power. With that being said, it is time to rev up your activist engines and get ready for a stellar legislative session! To kick off the session, a handful of activists showed up at the capitol yesterday in solidarity to support a bill that would make the Utah Indoor Clean Air Act (UICAA) more comprehensive. Let me explain:

Hookahs are harmful to your health. To inhale hookah smoke means to inhale toxins that can affect the user and those around them. In fact, "secondhand smoke from hookahs pose a serious risk for nonsmokers, particularly because it contains smoke not only from the tobacco, but also from the heat source (e.g., charcoal) used in the hookah." (CDC website). 

Next we have eCigarettes. These are devices are made for getting a nicotine hit without the nasty tobacco. As of right now, if you were in an airplane and someone starts smoking an eCigarette next to you, there is nothing you can do about it (other than breathe in the nicotine vapor). Just a reminder, nicotine is the most addictive substance in the world, and a single drop of pure nicotine injected into the blood stream will kill you in 7 seconds. Needless to say, its not the best stuff to be inhaling. 

Now that we have that information, it makes sense that people have voiced their concern for allowing these products in public places, free from restriction. A legislative bill was created with a hope for safer, cleaner air for all. This is HB 245, Amendment to Definition of Smoking in Utah Indoor Clean Air Act. Lets just call it HB 245 though. It is an extremely basic amendment that simply includes hookahs and eCigarettes to the UICAA. That means you won't need to worry about someone smoking their eCigarette next to you while in line at a grocery store. That means you won't need to worry about going out with friends one evening and ending up in a room full of toxin filled air. Less worries all around!

Yesterday at the capitol, the committee put this bill on hold because they didn't feel like they had enough information to make a vote on it. This means we have an opportunity to educate them! This is what we call a CALL TO ACTION:

Email the committee and explain why you feel this bill is important to you and your community. Share a personal story if you have one, share some facts (feel free to use the ones above, or find some new ones), and urge them to send the bill to the floor (which is political jargon for  allowing all of the House of Representatives to vote on it). 

Here are the emails of the House Government Operations Committee members:

kraigpowell@le.utah.gov

bgalvez@le.utah.gov

rchouck@le.utah.gov

janicefisher@le.utah.gov

cfrank@le.utah.gov

rgreenwood@le.utah.gov

coda@le.utah.gov

leeperry@le.utah.gov

dougsagers@le.utah.gov

evickers@le.utah.gov

Stay tuned for up to date information on all things tobacco this legislative session right here on the Project: 1200 blog. Oh, and if you haven't already, make sure to like us on facebook! Strength in numbers! 

Yours in the fight,

Peter.Moosman.

HB 89 Update

Update: HB 89, the Smoking in Cars with Children bill, was lifted from committee (resurrected from the dead) and sent to the Health and Human Services (HHS) committee! This is an excellent move in the right direction. Now its your turn to take action.


It will be voted on tomorrow (Tues, March 1) in committee at around 8:00 a.m.
I know this is EXTREMELY SHORT NOTICE, but if you can write an email between now and 8, you deserve the Amazing Advocate Award. Here's what to do:
1. Copy and paste the email addresses into the BCC line. Email addresses found HERE.
2. In Subject line, put VOTE YES ON HB89 TODAY
3. In the body of the email, urge the representatives to take a stand to protect Utah's children from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. See talking points below.
4. Urge them to vote yes!
5. Send BEFORE 8am!

Talking Points:
- Please protect children from a hotbox of toxic air the EPA considers 10x above the hazardous level of toxicity.
- This is not a personal property issue, nor is it a parent's right issue - this is a human rights issue - no individual should be forced to breathe in concentrated tobacco smoke.
- PERSONAL STORY
- You (the legislator) have the opportunity to protect children from the dangers of secondhand, thus saving Utahn's lives and money.

Sorry this is so condensed and on such short notice! I am trying to do better!

Smoking in Cars with Children (HB 89)

The first bill up for discussion this legislative session is one dealing with smoking in cars with children 15 years old and younger. Representative Patrice Arent is the sponsor of the bill, and its official title is Protection of Children Riding in Motor Vehicles. The text can be found HERE.

There has been some controversy over this bill, mainly dealing with property rights. What we need to realize is that the rights of the child strapped into the backseat are being taken away, and it is for them that we need to make our voices heard.

Calls to action will be coming soon.  While we wait, take a look at some information pertaining to the issue:

The Bill:

• Last year, this bill passed in the House, 40 yeas / 31 nays.
• Though passing in the Senate committee, it died the last night of the session without a vote. (cowards...)
• Last year, the age was 8 years and younger, but has been increased to a more comprehensive age of 15 and younger. 

The Issue:

• There is NO SAFE LEVEL of tobacco smoke exposure
• The level of toxic air in a vehicle when smoking is up to 10 TIMES GREATER than what the US Environmental Protection Agency considers hazardous.
• In 1997, the National Cancer Institute concluded that secondhand smoke (SHS) is the cause of:
• 2,000 cases of SIDS a year
• 8,000 new cases of asthma in children a year
• 1 MIL cases of exacerbated asthma in children a year
• As quoted from the Surgeon General, 2007:
• "Because their bodies are developing, infants and young children are especially vulnerable to the poisons in secondhand smoke."
• "...Babies who are exposed to secondhand smoke after birth are more likely to die from sudden death syndrome (SIDS) than babies who are not exposed to cigarette smoke."
• "Secondhand smoke exposure causes acute lower respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia in infants and young children."
• "Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk for ear infections and are more likely to need an operation to insert ear tubes for drainage."

For more information on secondhand smoke, visit tobaccofreekids.org, ctfu.org, heart.org, cancer.org

Time Flies

Hey friends!

It has already been a whole year since our last legislative session. A lot has kept me busy, which is my excuse for not updating the blog since... lets see... June. I know, its ridiculous. Hopefully this upcoming year will be more productive for the blog. I haven't written on the blog, but things HAVE been happening. And things WILL BE happening! The session starts in approximately 30 hours! That is when all the fun begins.

I wish I had more to tell you about what we will be working on this session, but I cannot. I have met with some representatives regarding a few issues, and I have reviewed the legislative website. Other than that, information will be coming in soon! Until then, I can tell you about a few of the issues we will pursue this session:

- Smoking in cars with children
- Flavored tobacco
- Saving tobacco prevention funding

There may be more, but we shall start with those. All three were issues that didn't get resolved last year, so feel free to take a gander through the blog posts of last session to become semi-familiar with what is happening, and I will be on soon enough with more information to catch us all up to speed! Until then, get some rest because it is going to be a tiresome 1.5 months!

Cheers!

Response to my anonymous friend

I am happy to hear that the interview on artduh.com brought some publicity! We had some people stop by the blog to take a look. THANKS FOR VISITING, PLEASE COME AGAIN!


The main purpose of this blog entry is to respond to my new friend, Anonymous. Anonymous wrote a comment on the last blog post, which reads:


"Pretty sure everyone knows that smoking is bad for them. I am also pretty sure you have to be an adult to buy them. Are you saying that what you believe to be right should be forced upon all adults? It is the smokers choice to smoke just like its the your choice not to. I am a fan of attacking organizations who lie but I am pretty sure that every pack of cigarettes has a warning that tells people of their harmful effects. Your movement speaks of big government control. Where do we draw the line? Are you religious person? Christianity has caused the deaths of millions, should the government ban that too? How about you focus on helping people quit who want to rather than giving the power to decide if an adult can partake in something that they are clearly warned about to the government. 
Good luck with your cause; I hope you succeed and that the government gets all the control."


Anonymous brings some valid, legitimate points to the table, and I want to address them now (and hopefully make sense)!


"Pretty sure everyone knows that smoking is bad for them. I am also pretty sure you have to be an adult to buy them." - Yes and No... Most people know that its just as you mentioned. That its bad. But thats it. They aren't aware that if you start using tobacco before the 19, you have a 10% chance of quitting. And over 90% of smokers started before 19 (and the average age that people start smoking is 13). So even though it is illegal to sell to minors, it falls into the hands of minors more often than not. In fact, Big Tobacco subsidizes stores for stolen cigarettes, so often times stores will purposefully keep their cases unlocked or unattended. It's all part of the plan.
When one thinks about those facts, it's easier to understand why I say "yes and no" on people knowing its bad for you. KIDS realize that its not good, but I know that when I was a teenager, I wasn't THAT concerned about something that MIGHT happen to me, and besides... Kids are invincible, right? They are always an exception to the rules. At the age that people start smoking, they are more concerned about rebelling, fitting in, making a statement, etc. and not to worried about the possibilities of getting cancer 50 years down the road. By the time they realize what is happening, they are too addicted to quit. In fact, 70% of teenagers that smoke wish they could go back and never start.


"Are you saying that what you believe to be right should be forced upon all adults? It is the smokers choice to smoke just like its your choice not to." - The Surgeon General has warned that there is NO SAFE LEVEL of exposure to cigarette smoke. Tobacco is the #1 cause of preventable death in America. More importantly, secondhand smoke kills over 50,000 Americans every year. Where is the choice of those addicted that cant quit? Where is the choice of the person walking down the street or trying to enter a building that has to breathe in smoke? To take it even farther, many of those  50,000 mentioned above are infants and children. Strapped into the back seat of the car while the parent smokes away in the front seat. If the secondhand smoke doesnt kill them, hundreds of thousands of children develop many chronic illnesses and diseases due to exposure to secondhand smoke. Where is their choice? I recently lost a close friend to tobacco. She was a single mother of four kids (all under the age of 15). I am sure those kids would choose to keep their mom, but their choice doesn't matter too much does it? I hope that makes sense...


"I am pretty sure that every pack of cigarettes has a warning that tells people of their harmful effects." - True... ish. If all of the harmful effects of smoking can be summed up in "Cigarettes contain carbon monoxide," then yes, it does. Or even, "quitting smoking now greatly reduces serious risks to your health." The point is, a short, vague statement will rarely deter someone from smoking.


"Are you a religious person? Christianity has caused the deaths of millions, should the government ban that too?" - I don't think this is a valid question/argument. Christianity (or religion for that matter), does not teach murder, harassment, discrimination, genocide, etc. but people often use religion to push a political agenda. So religion is blameless. It is the corrupt and heartless people that are to be blamed. And the government does take action to prevent and stop those individuals who pursue those avenues.


"How about you focus on helping people quit who want to rather than giving the power to decide if an adult can partake in something that they are clearly warned about to the government." - Project: 1200 does help with cessation as well as prevention. I (Peter) am a certified facilitator for cessation programs, and am always willing to help someone quit. Project:1200 is always available to help. In fact, you have brought up a good point that I will look into further. I will work on adding a page and link on the blog to offer tips and tricks to quit smoking. Thanks for bringing that up!


Anyway, I think this post is LONG ENOUGH! I hope that helped clear up any questions and concerns. If you have unanswered questions, responses, etc., please bring them to the table. I like using the blog as the main form of communication, so others with the same questions or responses can see the answers/comments. If you would like a more private discussion, feel free to contact Project:1200 at ProjectTwelveHundred@gmail.com