re:TH!NK, Winnebago's Healthy Living Partnership

Why Whitney Died

2012-02-16T09:35:00.000-06:00

Why Whitney Died By Bill O'Reilly
2/15/2012
The media have no bleepin' clue how to cover the death of Whitney Houston. That's because she was slowly dying for years and many in the press simply averted their eyes.
It was ultra-disturbing that a beautiful woman blessed with an extraordinary singing voice chose a self-destructive path in full view of the world. I mean, here is a person who signed a $100 million recording contract, actually sold 170 million albums and commanded high six figures to deliver a 90-minute concert. Houston was a genuine international star, and yet she often was seen in public disheveled and confused, her substance addiction apparent. The media simply did not know what to say.
We live in a time in which addiction is categorized as a disease, and to do what Nancy Reagan once did and urge people to reject narcotics is considered uncool. How many young performers do we see doing public service announcements warning children to avoid intoxication? Right now, I can't think of one.
The national media pride themselves on being non-judgmental unless you are against abortion. Then you are dismissed as "anti-woman" or as a religious zealot. But in the arena of personal behavior, there's an excuse for just about every nonviolent activity and bad decision.
There is no question that some of us have a history of addiction in our families. There are folks who can use drugs casually and avoid dependence, but they are the exception. Once a person decides to dabble in cocaine, or opiates such as heroin and OxyContin, they are putting themselves at grave risk. And they know it. There are legions of famous people who wound up dead just like Houston. From Elvis Presley to Michael Jackson, the signposts are impossible to miss. No matter how rich and powerful you are, drugs can and will destroy you.
The current medical marijuana ruse is a great example of a society walking away from a responsible position. Ask any drug rehab counselor, and he or she will tell you that pot often leads a person to harder drug use and is mentally addictive itself. Yes, most people can function while stoned. But the more you alter your mind the more your perspective on life changes. Believe me, I know people who get stoned or drunk every day. They become incredibly desensitized to those around them.
On the kid front, the situation is dire. Once a child enters the world of intoxication, their childhood is gone. Presto, they are jaded. That's how dangerous drugs and alcohol are to immature minds. Society has an obligation to protect its children, not to tacitly accept or embrace mind-altering agents such as marijuana.
Houston, however, was an adult who made a decision to embrace the drug life. Reports say she tried to rehabilitate herself a few times, but you know how that goes. Once a person enters the hell of addiction, there is no easy way out.
And that's how the Whitney Houston story should be covered. As a cautionary tale. Another life vanquished by substance abuse.

New Bill will Eliminate "Social Hosting" Loophole, A Step to Deter Adults from Allowing or Hosting Underage Parties

2011-11-10T12:28:00.007-06:00

This new bill will strengthen current legislation in Wisconsin by deterring underage drinking and social hosting parties. Winnebago County currently has a social hosting ordinance in place, but with this new bill, a large "social hosting" loophole will be eliminated. As Youth Coordinator for re:TH!NK, an organization that works to improve the health of Winnebago County residents, I believe this bill is good news! Peer pressure and misperceived beliefs that 'Everybody is doing it' continue to be factors that contribute to underage drinking among youth. This bill will be a great step forward for Wisconsin and its efforts to prevent adults from hosting underage drinking parties or allowing underage consumption to happen on their watch.

What the changes mean: The bill will prohibit an adult from knowingly permitting or failing to take action to prevent underage consumption of alcohol on property owned by the adult or in an area under the adult's control. This means that an adult can not knowingly allow alcohol to be consumed in an area under their control, for example, renting a hotel room for an underage birthday party where alcohol will be consumed.

You may have heard of the "Parents Who Host Lose the Most" slogan advertised and promoted throughout the state of Wisconsin. Past research has shown that social host legislation is effective in reducing drinking and driving and heavy drinking. Surveys and research have also shown that youth most commonly obtain alcohol from their home (parent or guardian) or from a friend or acquaintance who is 21 or older.

Thank you to Winnebago County Representatives Dick Spanbauer and Gordon Hintz for co-authoring this legislation!

Relaxing guidelines won't help

2011-11-04T11:47:00.002-05:00

The current (2005) Dietary Guidelines explicitly discourage anyone from beginning to drink or drinking more frequently on the basis of health considerations. But the tone of this new report creates an impression that alcohol consumption is a viable therapeutic option to be considered and/or discussed with a physician. Read on to see how the culture is wearing down what responsible drinking actually is.

Beverage Companies Market Unhealthy, Sugary Drinks to Children and Teens

2011-10-31T13:09:00.001-05:00

New study examines beverage industry marketing practices and nutritional content of nearly 600 products.

Young people are exposed to a substantial amount of marketing for sugary drinks, such as sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks and fruit drinks, according to a new report from the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity. The new report is the most comprehensive assessment of sugary drink nutrition and marketing ever conducted. It analyzed the marketing practices of 14 major companies and the nutritional content of nearly 600 products.

Despite industry pledges to market fewer unhealthy beverages to children, the report finds there is more—not less—advertising for sugary drinks overall. For example, youths’ exposure to TV ads for full-calorie sodas doubled from 2008 to 2010. Moreover, the report indicates that companies view Black and Hispanic youths as a source of future growth for sugary drink sales. In 2010, Black children and teens saw 80 percent to 90 percent more TV ads for sugary drinks compared with White youths. For Hispanic youths, marketing on Spanish-language TV is growing. From 2008 to 2010, Hispanic children saw 49 percent more ads for sugary drinks and energy drinks, and teens saw 99 percent more ads.

Read more about the study on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation website.

re:TH!NK Partners Participate in Fox Cities Marathon Events

2011-09-19T10:23:00.002-05:00

re:TH!NK, Winnebago's Healthy Living Partnership, wants to walk the walk, not just talk the talk when it comes to promoting healthy lifestyle choices. That's why re:TH!NK sponsored the "Fox Cities Marathon Challenge" this year hoping to involve our partners in something that shows our community that we're practicing what we preach!

A well deserved "Congrats" and a heart-felt "Thank You" goes out to the nearly 20 re:TH!NK partners that participated in this weekend's Community First Fox Cities Marathon and Festival of Races events. (Check the race results links to see how everyone did.) Each participant representing re:TH!NK wore a very fashionable (and practical) headband with the re:TH!NK logo on the front. Thanks also to Sports Graphics in Menasha for getting us our headbands in time!

re:TH!NK boasted two relay teams (team "re:TH!NK" and team "re:TH!NK Winnebago Alcohol"), four participants in the half marathon, three participants in the 5k, and one in the full marathon. To those who might not know, that lone full marathoner, Fred Umland, recently retired from the Winnebago County Human Services Department. He is part of a group of about 20 that have ran in every Fox Cities Marathon (that 20+ years of marathons)! Way to go Fred!!! We are very inspired by you and hope others are too and look foward to the Marathon Challenge again next year.

A Month of Recovery

2011-08-31T09:27:00.001-05:00

September is celebrated as National Recovery Month. Step Industries and Mooring Programs will be honoring recovery month by hosting UNITED IN RECOVERY on September 23^rd at Pathways Church in Appleton. Teen Challenge, a Milwaukee based recovery program for adolescents, will performed a concert. Along with Teen Challenge you will hear inspirational stories from current and past program participants of Step Industries and the Mooring Programs. Information will be available on the different avenues a person and a family can take on the journey to sobriety. There will also be an array of delicious desserts available to enjoy, a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle. All proceeds from ticket sales and auction items will go directly to Step Industries and Mooring Programs. Join Step Industries, Mooring Programs and new friends at Pathways Church for a night of inspiration and entertainment.

Ticket information is available by calling Step Industries 733-2345 or visiting our website at www.stepindustries.com.

Selling the Drinking Culture

2011-08-30T17:00:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again, the packed aisle, with glue, markers, and boxes of Kleenex flying from shelves to carts. One of the first things that is on the school supply lists are spiral notebooks. Some have kittens, skulls, or trees on them. As I was walking down the aisle of the Oshkosh Target I came across a note book that sparked my interest. The notebook was on a end cap right at eye level it reads, " College is like a fountain of knowledge... and the students are there to drink". Of course I had to buy this notebook to show to the rest of the re:TH!NK staff. We all had similar responces we could not believe that Target was selling this notebook on their shelves. I did a bit of research on the saying and when I Googled it the results that came up used the saying in a drinking postive way. One website called Cracked.com has a atricle called "College Drinking", the first paragraph of the page says this:

College. A time when young men and women say goodbye to moderation and hello to many repeated nights of hugging their dorm room toilets. Why? Because “college is like a fountain of knowledge – and all the students are there to drink.” -Unknown."

As a community it is important that we try and mantaine healthy people who live around us. Oshkosh is home to Univeristy of Wisconsin Oshkosh it seems to be even more important to help our commnitiy healthy.

city of Oshkosh have been called many names assocated with drinking, UW Zero, Sloshkosh, OshVages, among others. Having a University in our city that has a repuation for their high alcohol consumption you would think that it would make sense to not sell the drinking culture further to the college students coming into our city.

Selling the Drinking Culture

City of Menasha Promotes Health and Pedestrian Mobility

2011-08-24T09:40:00.003-05:00

We want to offer a big "high five" to the City of Menasha Common Council for approving removal of 13 on-street parking stalls on a six-block section of State 47 to make room for bike lanes! An article in today's News-Record states that "city officials previously approved a recommendation to install 5-foot-wide bike lanes on both sides of 47 from Third Street to Ninth Street as part of an overall plan to improve biking facilities from Valley Road in Appleton to First Street in Neenah through the city and Town of Menasha."

This is awesome news for the residents of the Fox Valley. re:TH!NK wants to promote pedestrian mobility (walking and biking) and by having safe routes for bikers, this will making getting around by bike much easier! Thanks City of Menasha!!!

Have You Heard?

2011-08-19T11:24:00.000-05:00

Cold beer chill'n in my console, water bottle full of whisky in my handbag, think we kissed but I forgot, roll'n down the street smoking endo, sipping on gin and juice, but a colt 45 and two ZigZags, baby that's all I need. Is that really all you need to have a good time and be a teenager growing up in the United States? We are not here to "dis" popular music or to say music is a bad thing, we simply want to start a conversation about the lyrics that our youth and adults listen too.

Most generations have its share of music that is associated with partying, and that is normal. Our question to you is, if our youth and constantly being exposed to music that is focused on drinking and other unhealthy behaviors will it have an effect on them? Some of you may be saying, " I listened to the Grateful Dead and I was a good kid" while others of you may have difference experiences. The more exposure to a product, idea, or way of life the more ok it seems, not only to youth but adults as well.

So, listen to music,jam out, dance in your car on your way to work! We just ask that you put a critical eye and ear to the lyrics of the songs you are listening too.

Calorie Labels on Menus = Decrease in Calorie Consumption

2011-08-05T10:35:00.002-05:00

According to a study released in late July, 1 in 6 consumers have altered their food purchases at New York Cities chain restaurants after a city-wide ordianance that went into effect in 2008 required chains to prominently post calorie infomation on their menus.

For the three main restaurant chains studied, customers on average bought 44 fewer calories at McDonald's, 80 fewer calories at Au Bon Pain and 59 fewer calories at KFC.

The change to labeling also lead chains to offer healthier options as the default or add new healthier options to their menus. However the labeling had no effect on the choice kids made at the restaurants studied.

Menu labeling helps consumers make informed decisions about their caloric intake. With at least 20% of American's being obese, posting calorie infomation is one piece of the puzzle in the effort to reduce death and disease related to obesity.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/07/27/calorie-labels-change-some-diners-habits-study-says/#ixzz1UAZNcANc

Rx Drug Abuse

2011-08-01T13:46:00.000-05:00

Everyone knows that drugs are bad, but what about the kind you get at the doctors office? In the Threat Assessment for 2009 done by the Lake Winnebago Area Drug Unit prescription drugs were the number two threat in the Fox Cities. Even though it is 2011 the threat has not gone away in fact it has gotten worse. There have been robberies, muggings, overdoses, and murders in our area all over prescription drugs. Recently Science Daily released a study that believes the use of prescription drugs is a first step on the path toward misuse of heroin and other injected drugs. They also found that almost one out of four young injection drug users first injected a prescription opioid, and most later switched to injecting heroin. If you would like to read the full article click here.

re:TH!NK has been partnering with local law enforcement to put into place permanent drug drop boxes in Winnebago County. There is one located at the Oshkosh Police Department in the hallway which is open 24/7. Neenah Police Department has a new drug drop box that is also open 24/7. If you have old prescriptions drugs that you have not finished or need to get rid of please used one of these boxes and help us keep these dangerous drugs off the street.

UWGB Dietetics Student Takes on Double Role in WIC Internship

2011-07-25T11:43:00.002-05:00

The Winnebago Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) staff did not know exactly who they were hiring as their summer intern when they asked Sarah Heidorf to join the staff. Heidorf, a UW-Green Bay student studying nutritional sciences, was to serve as a marketing liaison for WIC and the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) with a goal of increasing participants’ awareness and utilization of the farmers’ markets in Winnebago County. Her role evolved from that into much more.

“I started surveying our participants and realized very quickly that attendance at farmers markets depended on two critical elements: 1) finding time to get to the market and 2) the willingness of family members to eat their fruits and vegetables,” said Heidorf. To battle the time restrictions, she arranged to have vendors come to the Oshkosh WIC check pick up site. “It’s been a tough growing season, and as a result, our vendor for July had to cancel due to minimal lack of produce to sell. However, we fully intend on being ready on-site for August, September, and October pick-ups in Oshkosh.”

To encourage the youngsters of the family to indulge in their fruits and vegetables, Heidorf visited a number of child day care centers in the county dressed up as “Young Mac Donald”, in overalls and brightly colored clothing and accessories. “In order for kids to try something new, you need a little dose of healthy peer pressure, mixed in with a whole lot of fun. I put them in a familiar environment, and we sing a modified version of ‘Old Mac Donald’ where instead of raising animals on the farm, we grow a rainbow of different fruits and vegetables,” states Heidorf. Young Mac Donald’s farm is an active place as well as she gets the kids moving as they jump up and down throughout the song if they are wearing the colors in the verses. They then participate in a taste testing of various fruits and vegetables. “On average, about two-thirds of the class tries something new, and it is not uncommon to see empty plates at the end of the program,” she boasted proudly.

Heidorf also entertains the school-agers with age appropriate activities. Playing with your food is completely allowed on Young Mac Donald’s farm. You will see children building sheep creatures out of cauliflower, celery, and a black olive. To end the creative session, Heidorf gives each child an apple. Using nothing but their teeth, the children are instructed to create a masterpiece of art in an apple carving contest (see James Flannigan, above, showing off his puppy that he carved into his apple at Davis Child Care Center in Oshkosh). “This is my favorite “sneaky” way to get them to eat their fruits and veggies—the most nutrients are in the skin, and this is the first part that disappears into their bellies!”smiled Heidorf.

WIC provides food and nutrition information to help keep pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants, and children under five years of age healthy and strong. Many working families qualify. FMNP checks must be redeemed by October 31.

For more information on WIC and FMNP Services, please contact the Oshkosh office at (920) 232-3350 or Neenah office at (920) 729-2945.

re:TH!NK the Bean!

2011-07-08T11:47:00.001-05:00

Great ideas from the Winnebago County Health Department AHEC CHIP intern Sarah Heidorf:

So there’s one food that always seems to get a bad rap, but is chocked full of nutrients. The bean. I’m not talking the string bean variety, I am speaking of the legume bean. Black beans, great white northern beans, kidney beans, you pick ‘em. I guarantee we don’t eat enough of them. It may have something to do with their rumored physiological side effects; however I am totally going to let them redeem themselves with this almost too-good-to-be-true recipe. So have an open mind and give it a try. My 11-year old can’t tell the difference.

The only two ingredients needed are a dry brownie mix for a 9x13 pan and a 15-ounce can of unseasoned black beans. Rinse the beans well in a colander and then place in blender. Add one-half a can of water, then puree until there are no whole beans visible.

Open the brownie mix, and place in a medium bowl. Disregard any instruction to add oil, egg, or water. These are NOT needed! Add the bean puree to the dry brownie mix. Grease a 9x13 pan and pour brownie batter into pan. Bake per brownie box instructions. If you wish to add a handful of chocolate chips and a dash of vanilla or cinnamon, feel free!

The brownies are thick, moist, and chocolatey! Full of protein and fiber and low on cholesterol and fat!

CUSA Beer servers get training thanks to Winnebago County Sheriffs and re:TH!NK

2011-06-22T13:44:00.005-05:00

http://www.wbay.com/global/video/flash/popupplayer.asp?ClipID1=5979769&h1=Deputies%20Work%20with%20Country%20USA%20Bartenders&vt1=v&at1=News&d1=91167&LaunchPageAdTag=Community&activePane=info&rnd=16431186

We are thrilled that area bar tenders are appreciative of the the trainings implemented by sheriff deputies at CUSA and other events. The voluteers who sign up to serve beer are typically well meaning young adults who certainly don't mean to increase problems such as thefts, sexual assaults, domestic disputes and injuries. But that is exactly what can happen when underagers get served or those over 21 are "over served".
Do you think trainings at the point of beer purchase make sense? What else is needed to alter our culture of drinking?

Since when aren't good movies, buttery popcorn and friends not enough, now we have to add beer to this experience too?

2011-06-17T11:41:00.002-05:00

Friends:

Are you aware of the draft language in the biennial bill as it relates to movie theatres and alcohol? It is important to realize that this language does not impact the existing ability of a municipality to issue an alcohol license to a movie theatre. The issue is whether unaccompanied youth can be in a location where alcohol is sold and served. The proposal creates a specific exception in the law for movie theaters, allowing youth to enter a theater serving alcohol without a parent or guardian present.
This proposal is likely to expand youth access to alcohol and makes it more difficult for parents to raise alcohol-free children. It was adopted without public hearing or open debate during deliberations by the Joint Finance Committee.
As you know Wisconsin’s rate of alcohol use among high school students exceeds the national average. In 2009, Wisconsin had the 11th highest rate of alcohol use among high school students in the nation.[i] Wisconsin has a serious underage drinking problem and increasing youth access to alcohol will exacerbate the problem.
The Legislature is debating the biennial budget, including this language this week. This web site, http://legis.wisconsin.gov/w3asp/waml/waml.aspx , is provided by the Legislature to help citizens identify their elected representatives.
[i] Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Wisconsin Epidemiological Profile on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, 2010. p.50.

Ride Your BIke to Work

2011-05-10T13:11:00.000-05:00

This morning I decided to ride my two wheels to work instead of driving. It is amazing to be up that early getting loads and loads of fresh air. People were friendly as we wished each other good morning as we passed. It was good to see lots of other bike commuters on the streets this morning, the culture is slowly beginning to change. As my wheels bounced down the pavement, all the stresses of the drive to work were removed and filled with the sounds of cardinals up in the trees. I arrived early for work with a little extra spring in my step. I feel good all day long knowing that even though I am sitting at a desk, my heart rate was elevated. If you want to save money on gas, lose some weight and feel good the whole day through, I recommend biking to work at least once a week.

To Crawl or not to crawl that is the question.... Pub Crawl that is

2011-05-05T08:20:00.000-05:00

Pub crawls have been going on for years in downtown Oshkosh. May locals know that during the day of pub crawl you want to be as far away from downtown as possible. The streets are filled with hundreds if not thousands of college students along with some other who are brave enough to venture out. I happened to be one of those brave souls. I knew a ton of people on teams and they told me it would be a ton of fun. Since I work for re:TH!NK, know a number of police officers, and teach students how to make responsible life choices, I sat and contemplated whether or not I should go. 10:00pm rolled around and I decided that I needed to experience the pub crawl first hand.

I walked into the first bar which had a waiting line outside. When I finally got in the door I could barely move and could not believe the amount of empty beer cans and plastic cups thrown everywhere. I found my friends and we headed out to crawl. The next bar was over capacity and once again we had to wait to get inside. While waiting in line I saw a guy pass out on the curb, a guy throw up in the street, and two people peeing on buildings. At 10:30 people were already extremely intoxicated and a number of people incapacitated. This bar was trashed pool tables wrecked, bathrooms covered in toilet paper, vomit on the floor etc.

I could not believe that people were as drunk as they were.
During my two hours our I talked to number of bouncers though out the night and the discussion was similar each time. They all said that once people put the "Pub Crawl" T-shirts on they have now acquired the right to be completely careless, dangerous, and out of control. Even though I did take part in being out and about on pub crawl night it worried me seeing people behave the way they did.

If we are going to change the climate of the drinking culture to make people appreciate and enjoy alcohol responsibly it seems like thing such as the pub crawl strongly work against us. This is not to say that the pub crawl should not happen, it just needs to be done responsibly.

News worthy:Check out what schools are doing to reduce high risk college drinking.

Even an earlier start for alcohol purchases in WI?

2011-05-02T11:25:00.003-05:00

Some misguided legislator introduced a bill to allow people to buy alcohol at 6:00 AM instead of the 8am official start time. This provision is up for hearing in the Assembly Homeland Security and State Affairs Committee on Wednesday.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/121026684.html

Legacy vs. Old school drunkeness

2011-04-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

Dude: I'm three times your age, twice your weight and half your speed. I call myself middle-aged, and you call me "old man." Fair enough. To me, you are a teen, a youth, or even "kid." Whatever.
There's something I want you to know.
The greatest gift we old farts give you is our legacy. You and your friends don't use that word a lot, "legacy," but it basically refers to what we pass on to the next generation.
We have passed on some rather remarkable things to you here in Wisconsin: appreciation for the outdoors, a strong work ethic, home-team pride …
Drunkenness.
We, your parents and grandparents, are among the very worst in the nation when it comes to binge drinking, driving drunk, per capita beer consumption and percentage of adults who drink.
We are the shame of the states when it comes to drinking. And we want you to wallow in that barley mire with us. Sort of a family bonding thing.
We insure ourselves against change by sporting some of the weakest alcohol laws in the country. In fact, we are the only state where most drunk driving cases aren't even misdemeanors.
"Drive drunk — go to jail?"
Not.
We make it legal for you to drink with us so we can teach you how it's done. We put virtually no tax on beer — roughly half a penny per can — even though the related property damage and health care impact costs more than Beyonce's bling.
We just make everyone shares that cost, even the ones who (rolling my eyes and using my "duh" voice) don't drink. As a matter of fact, we haven't raised our beer tax since 1969.
Think I'm exaggerating? Google "State of Drinking" or "Wasted in Wisconsin." I'm barely scraping the surface.
We make sure you always see alcohol at weddings, sporting events, get-togethers with friends, community celebrations and even church picnics.
Go find that picture of your parents at the Christmas party or the bowling team's awards night. See the big smiles in the group shot? See what they're holding in their hands?
We have carefully and consistently taught you this: You must drink alcohol. To not drink in this state is to be a nun at a Lady Gaga concert.
When I lived out of state, I saw bumper stickers that read, "It's OK to not drink." How would that message go over in Wisconsin? Might not get your taillights busted out, but it wouldn't win you many friends. Hide it in the drawer with that Brett Favre sticker.
Truthfully, about a third of Wisconsin adults don't drink alcohol. Bizarre. We just try to ignore them in hopes they'll go away, kind of like zits.
As caring parents, we strive to give you a better life than we had — except when it comes to alcohol use. We are determined to see you repeat our mistakes — to stagger in our footsteps, so to speak.
But we must be slipping. According to a 2010 Wisconsin Department of Health Services report, you're drinking less than teens were a couple years ago.
What's up with that? Don't you want to grow up to be just like Mommy and Daddy?
Your potential is immense. You have dreams, you have vitality, you have promise. Dude, what would you have if you didn't drink like us?
Twice our brains and half our troubles.

This blog brought to you by Kevin Wilkinson is the Neenah police chief. He can be reached at pcletters@postcrescent. com

Our Drug/Alcohol Environment Isn't As Fun as a Jeep Wave

2011-04-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

You know how when you get a new car, you start seeing the same cars everywhere. I got a Jeep in fall and not only does it seem like everyone else did too, but they are waving at me! Ok then. I guess I became keenly aware of what I have and who else has it in my surroundings.

I find this prevention job to be a similar experience. Embarking on a new job, it sounded like a rewarding position...who wouldn't want to help others refrain from drugs and substance abuse? But truth be told, I possessed a limited awareness of the environment around me. Now being thrust into part of the re:TH!NK machine that sets out to alter this substance laden environment, I see it at every turn. And it doesn't Jeep wave!The feelings are way different.

Last week I saw "Lazy Cakes" at Walgreens as I checked out with my 6th grader. This is a snack marketed as mere pot brownies that have melatonin as their key ingredient saying it causes excessive use of the word DUUUUUUDE. WHAT!!!

I drive by the huge "KeyStone" billboard near Mortons daily. That gains huge visibility as kids walk to Oshksoh West HS and aims to make beer consumption cool and funny for youth. Who in the world allowed that location in our community!!

Me and my son, lil' 7 year athlete that he is, stroll through convenience stores with end caps that boast alcoholic beverages that are intended to GO WITH sports. Are you kidding me, these kids are suppose to be proud of their athletic codes and sports status in HS!!

How do parents counteract? What have you tried? Is anyone else mad? Really, I am interested in hearing.

Join us by checking out www.rethinkwinnebago.org for re:TH!NK Committee meetings planning environmental action plans that address change.

re:TH!NK's New Youth

2011-03-17T11:00:00.001-05:00

Oshkosh North Leadership Class doing Above the Influence

F.A.C.T. Training with Alex Hip the Field Expert

Maplewood Middle Schools F.A.C.T. group with their Call out Candies

Time has come for re:TH!NK to get some new energetic and motivated youth involved in the coalitions mission! Since I (Laura Wilner) have come on board there has be a spike in youth engagement and involvement. There are re:TH!NK groups across the county! Maplewood Middle School, YouthGo in Menasha, The Boys and Girls Club in Oshkosh, I am working with Oshkosh North and West for a large safe prom campaign, along with Winneconne High School and Omro! I also started a F.A.C.T. ( Fighting Against Cooperate Tobacco) group at Oshkosh North which involves anywhere from 20-40 kids each meeting. We are currently trying to start a F.A.C.T. group at Oshkosh West along with a re:TH!NK group as well! The youth in Winnebago County have started to make a difference in our community! They have been educating their peers and will soon be reaching out to the rest of the community!

F.A.C.T. at Maplewood with their Call Out Candies

re:TH!NK on TV?

2011-03-04T10:35:00.018-06:00

New and exciting news everyone! We have started a TV show on CATV 2. The show will begin airing this week and we invite all of you to watch this informative and interesting . The first show focused on how re:TH!NK works and where re:TH!NK can be seen in the community!

Get involved and take 30 minutes this Friday from 12:00-12:300 pm to watch the show with us at the new Health Department at 112 Otter Ave Oshkosh, WI 54903. Bring your lunch, enjoy our wonderful break room, and help improve next months show by giving your feedback! Hope to see you there

The show times on CATV2 are

Monday at      8:00 pm
Tuesday at     9:30 pm
Friday at         5:30 pm
Saturday at    2:00 pm

Americans living shorter lives because of smoking and obesity report says

2011-03-02T10:32:00.002-06:00

Report: U.S. life expectancy lagging because of smoking: Obesity also cited as contributing factor
by Charlotte Tucker

Life expectancies in the United States lag behind some other high-income countries less because of things Americans are doing now than because of behaviors they have engaged in the past.
Specifically, U.S life expectancies are lagging because of smoking. According to a report released by the National Research Council in January, heavy smoking in the past five decades is shortening American life spans today...

...Over the past 25 years, life expectancy at age 50 in the United States has been increasing, but at a much slower rate than in some other high-income countries. According to National Center for Health Statistics 2007 data, the average life expectancy at birth today is 75.3 years for men and 80.4 years for women. To contrast, in Japan men live to an average age of 79.2 years and women to 86 years, as of 2006.

A group of seniors dances at a wellness center in Washington, D.C., in July 2010. While the average life expectancy for Americans is 77.9 years, the nation lags behind some other high-income countries because of factors such as past smoking...

... If U.S. obesity trends continue, they may offset life expectancy gains that are predicted to occur in coming decades, a report found.

The relationship between obesity levels and obesity risks "bears watching as an important factor in future longevity trends in the United States," the authors wrote.

Read the full article:
http://thenationshealth.aphapublications.org/content/41/2/1.2.full

View the report:
"Explaining Divergent Levels of Longevity in High-Income Countries," is available at www.nap.edu.

Social Host Ordinance progress

2010-09-24T14:37:00.000-05:00

The Advocacy Committee is moving right along with progress on Social Host ordinance development. Co-chairs Barry Busby and Joe Yana attended a conference with Nina Emerson and Julia Sherman to discuss statewide policy strategies on alcohol. They also attended the DA and police chiefs meeting for the county and sense the time is right for local leaders to consider this addtion. Stay tuned!

Good job Barry and Joe!

Lance Armstrong Visits Madison

2010-09-23T15:46:00.000-05:00

Below is a link to the video of Lance Armstrong speaking in Madison about his support for Wisconsin's smoke-free law. This newest version cuts together media from different sources, including a picture of Lance's rally leading up to the law's passage.

You can get to the video by clicking this link.
http://vimeo.com/14820595

Bars vs Grocery Stores: See How WI Compares

2010-03-19T11:58:00.001-05:00

A map was recently compiled of bars and grocery stores and WI as you can guess, falls into the "more bars than grocery stores" category.

To view the map, click the link below. Also, if you have a few moments, read some of the comments. Many are from people that used to or still live in Wisconsin.

http://flowingdata.com/2010/03/02/where-bars-trump-grocery-stores/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

-emily and lisa

re:TH!NK's Good Drug's Gone Bad train-the-trainer presentation was a success!

2010-02-25T09:43:00.000-06:00

Slick roads and blustery weather did not prevent 122 professionals from attending re:TH!NK's train-the-trainer presentation at Sunnyview Expo Center February 24. People came from both Winnebago County and all across WI to hear more about perscription drug trends and how they can team up to prevent it.

re:TH!NK's goals of the training were to provide knowledge, support, and resources to a target group of youth workers who could deliver a prevention message to youth on Perscription Drug Abuse. Good Drugs Gone Bad community toolkits were distributed free of charge.The training included a navigational session that taught attendees how to use it and they plan to. Coalition Coordinator Lisa Brown summarized, "100% of the people who attended and evaluated our Good Drugs Gone Bad training say they would recommend the toolkit presentations to a colleague. They are committed to returning to their school or agency and planning presentations themselves. This is a great start! Attendees shared they felt competent and empowered to deliver lessons on Preventing Perscription Drug Abuse to youth." For further information please contact lbrown@co.winnebago.wi.us

Presenters included Lisa Brown and Emily Dieringer re:TH!NK coalition coordinators who were joined by Brad Dunlap Project Director of the Lake Winnebago MEG unit,Fred Umland of Winnebago County Juvenile Intake, Steve Herman(Ret.)of Winnebago County Sheriff Office, Jason Weber Town of Menasha PD , and Aaron Zemlock of Menasha PD.

Creation of a WI Prescription Drug Monitoring Program One Step Closer

2010-01-28T09:19:00.000-06:00

AB227 was heard Jan 20 during the State Legislature's Health Commitee meeting to consider moving forward with a statewide PDMP (Perscription Drug Monitoring Program). The Program would create a database that would track filled perscriptions in order to reduce "Dr. Shopping" and other diversion stunts.

About 10 people testified in favor of the bill or educated the committee including 2 members from re:TH!NK. Others present included concerned police, pharmacists, parents, and forensic pathologists from across the state.

WI is one of only a few states that do not currently have or are in the process of creating a PDMP. All surrounding states have enacted such a database to provide authority in the monitoring of specific controlled medicines. The lack of such a database/program could explain the increase in diversion practices and addiction of presecription drugs.

The committee said they will schedule a vote SOON.

Additionally, on Feb 24th the Pharmacy Society of WI will be holding its annual Legislative Day in Madison. PSW is the state organization that represents all Wisconsin pharmacists in all practice environments, hospital, chain, independent etc. On Legislative Day about 100-150 pharmacists from all over the state will meet in the morning to discuss and be briefed on various current government and legislative issues important to pharmacists and our patients.

One of the items that PSW has supported since it was first proposed is establishment of a controlled drug database to help us identify the drug seekers. In the afternoon of the 24th all of these pharmacists will be meeting with their individual Legislators and Senators and will be urging them to support passage of the drug monitoring database.

For more/current information on the status of AB227 click: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2009/data/AB227hst.html

or for more information on PDMPs click: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/faq/rx_monitor.htm

-Lisa

Youth Smoking Rates Drop to Lowest in Years

2009-12-23T10:16:00.000-06:00

Youth smoking rates in Wisconsin have dropped to 17% in 2009! This is down from 21% in 2007. Click in the link below to read the AP article. Governor Doyle attributed this decline to success prevention programs and a high cigarette tax. YAY us! Our efforts really do make a difference!

http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=11711251

Michigan passes smoke-free air law!!

2009-12-10T17:50:00.000-06:00

The Michigan Legislature passed a long-awaited statewide law this week.

It includes all bars, restaurants, workplaces. There are only a few exemptions that include three Detroit casinos, cigar bars, tobacco specialty shops, home offices and motor vehicles.

The law will take effect in May of 2010 (before WI's smoke-free air law goes into effect in July)

Click on the link below to view the article in the Chicago Tribune.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-ap-mi-smoking-ban,0,7765596.story

WOO HOO Michigan!!

A Message from Senator Kohl on Black Market Cigarette Smuggling

2009-12-09T14:53:00.000-06:00

The following was posted on US Senator Herb Kohl's e-newsletter on November 20. -emily

Cigarette trafficking has become a highly profitable revenue source for criminal and terrorist organizations like Hezbollah, al Qaeda and Hamas. Money is often raised in the United States, then funneled back to these international terrorist groups. Cigarette smuggling is a multibillion dollar phenomenon and getting worse. To counter this trend, I introduced the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking (PACT) Act of 2009 which recently passed the Senate Judiciary Committee. It provides law enforcement essential resources to crack down on black market tobacco ventures.

The PACT Act will strengthen our tobacco laws to ensure that law enforcement has the tools they need to investigate and prosecute cigarette traffickers. Illegal tobacco vendors around the world evade detection by conducting transactions over the Internet, then shipping their illegal products around the country to consumers. Just a few years ago, there were less than 100 vendors selling cigarettes online. Today, approximately 500 vendors sell illegal tobacco products over the Internet. Each day we delay the PACT Act's passage, terrorists and criminals raise more money, states lose significant tax revenue, and kids have easy access to tobacco products sold over the internet.

In 1998, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had six active tobacco smuggling investigations. Today there are more than 400. But the number of cases alone does not sufficiently put the challenge into perspective. The amount of money involved is truly astonishing. Cigarette trafficking, including the illegal sale of tobacco products over the internet, costs states billions of dollars in lost tax revenue each year. It is estimated that we lose $5 billion of tax revenue, at the federal and state level, every year.

The cost to Americans is not merely financial. Internet tobacco sales have been used by terrorist and organized crime groups to raise millions of dollars to support their illicit activities. Hezbollah is estimated to have earned $1.5 million between 1996 and 2000 through tobacco smuggling. The 9/11 Commission noted that terrorists often raise money by trafficking in counterfeit goods, such as cigarettes. We can no longer continue to let terrorist organizations exploit the weaknesses in our tobacco laws to their advantage.

The Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking (PACT) Act will:

· Strengthen reporting requirements for interstate cigarette sellers.

· Increase the criminal penalty from a misdemeanor to a felony and create a substantial civil penalty for violations, including violations of the reporting requirements and state tobacco tax laws.

· Grant federal and state law enforcement officials more power to investigate and prosecute violators.

· Prohibit the United States Postal Service from delivering tobacco products

The common sense approach taken in the PACT Act to combat this problem has brought together a strong coalition of supporters. The legislation has the backing of the law enforcement community, numerous public health advocates, and tobacco companies. I am encouraged by the Judiciary Committee's vote and am optimistic that we can work together to pass this bill.

Smoke-Free Air Implementation at the Local Level

2009-12-07T10:51:00.000-06:00

The following are two articles from the League of Municipalities regarding the impact of the statewide smoke free law on Wisconsin municipalities. They are sort of lengthy but worth the time it takes to read them. The Coalition will be going over what "going smoke-free statewide" means at our general coalition meeting in January.

Statewide Smoking Ban: What Does It Mean for Municipalities?
[November 2009 Note] By Curt Witynski, Assistant Director

Smoke Free in Wisconsin
[November 2009 Comment] by Lucie McGee, Eau Claire Assistant Attorney

Please note the "Conclusion" of the second article. It states that "Nearly every department of the city has been involved in the ongoing implementation of the smoke-free ordinance. It is safe to say that no one anticipated the amount of related work and oversight that would be generated from a seemingly simple change in the law. Now, the state, local governments and all communities are being faced with this challenge."

Senate and State Lawmakers agree that Drunk Driviers should foot the bill

2009-12-04T11:21:00.000-06:00

Action on drunken driving bill planned for Dec. 16

The Senate And Assembly versions of the drunken driving bill are identical in many ways. Both would:

Make a 4th OWI a felony if it occurs within a 5 year previous offense (right now it isn't a felony offense until the 5th)

Require ignition interlocks for repeat drunken drivers or for first time offenders if their BAC exceeds 0.15

Make first-offense drunken driving a misdemeanor if a child under 16 is in the car (WI is the only state to treat first offenses as traffic tickes rather than crimes)

Expand the Winnebago County Safe Streets program across the state-this gives judges the opportunity to reduce jail time to offenders who complete an alcohol/drug treatment program.

Eliminate the provision that provides lighter penalties for lesser BAC. Lower blood alcohol levels would face the same fines and penalties at those 0.10 or above.

So what still needs to be worked out? FUNDING

The changes would cost an estimated 15-28 million dollars annually, largely beause of the increased costs to house inmates. The two bills differ on how to pay costs when analysts are unsure of how many people would be sentenced. Both do agree however that they want to cover the costs by increasing fees on offenders.

Several News Stories Released by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

2009-11-25T10:56:00.000-06:00

There were a few different news briefs released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation this week regarding smoking rates, quitting and smoke-free air implementation. Below are the summarys. Click the embedded links for the full stories. I'll post more on the $9 million grant to WI next week.--Emily

CDC Report Finds U.S. Adult Smoking Rate Stagnating
A new report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that the U.S. adult smoking rate remained relatively unchanged in 2008, with approximately one in five adults reporting that they currently smoke, AHA News Now reports. Based on an analysis of data drawn from the 2008 National Health Interview Survey, the researchers found that the national smoking rate declined from 24.1 percent of the population in 1998 to 20.6 percent in 2008. However, the report also notes that year-to-year decreases have been sporadic.

Meanwhile, the report finds that smoking rates vary significantly by race and ethnicity, with Asians registering the lowest smoking rates at just 9.9 percent, followed by Hispanics at 15.8 percent, non-Hispanic Blacks at 21.3 percent and non-Hispanic Whites at 22 percent. American Indians/Alaska Natives registered the highest rates of current smokers at 32.4 percent of that population. The report also suggested that education appears to be a strong predictor of smoking rates. For example, smoking prevalence was 41.3 percent among individuals with a General Educational Development certificate, 27.5 percent among those with a high school diploma, and just 5.7 percent among individuals with a graduate degree. Examining smoking trends based on geographical location, meanwhile, the report finds that the U.S. Virgin Islands recorded the lowest smoking rate at 6.5 percent, while West Virginia had the highest at 26.6 percent.

Based on the findings, the researchers suggest that "evidence-based programs known to be effective at reducing smoking should be intensified among groups with lower education" and that health providers should consider the education-level of patients when providing information about smoking cessation (AHA News Now, 11/12/09; Morbidity and Mortality Weekly, 11/13/09).

Wisconsin Receives Federal Funding for Smoking Cessation
Wisconsin health officials have received $9 million in federal funding from the National Institutes of Health to launch a new smoking cessation study, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Slated to launch next spring, the study will provide smoking cessation counseling and aids to approximately 2,300 smokers at clinics in south and central Wisconsin. Acknowledging that many current smokers are interested in quitting, the director of the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention said that the study would allow efforts to "meet smokers where they are in terms of their willingness to try quitting" (Fauber, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/12/09).

North Carolina Officials Debate How to Implement Smoking Ban
As North Carolina prepares to implement a statewide smoking ban, local health officials are determining what, if any, additional restrictions they should impose, the Star News Online reports. Slated to take effect January 2, the law will prohibit smoking in most bars and restaurants and allow cities and counties to extend the smoking ban through their own ordinances. However, the law prohibits local bans from including private homes, private vehicles, tobacco shops, private clubs and actors smoking in performances. Previously, individual cities and counties were only authorized to implement smoking bans inside local government buildings, in the immediate surroundings of departments of health and social services, and on public transportation. In anticipation of the new law, the Brunswick County board of health plans to hold a series of meetings to discuss whether to make the county complex in Bolivia smoke-free, and officials in New Hanover and Pender are expected to debate similar measures. Brunswick County is also said to be considering an extension of the smoking ban to include all of the county's parks and recreation spaces (Eckenrode, Star News Online, 11/10/09).

Most Popular Day For Underage Drinking Surprises Many Parents

2009-11-24T08:21:00.000-06:00

Study finds prom and graduation season not as popular as once thought

[Winnebago County]-Traditionally, it is assumed that underage drinking peeks around prom and graduation seasons. However, a study conducted by the UDETC (Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center) showed that drinking underage most frequently occurs on the night before Thanksgiving. The Tobacco-Free & Drug-Free Communities Coalition is concerned with the findings of this study because Wisconsin high school students drink at a higher rate than the national average. The June 2008 Youth Risk Behavior Survey reports that while the national underage drinking rate is 37%, Wisconsin’s underage drinking rate is 49%. The Coalition has identified risk factors that are present in our community that contribute to this trend.

The contributing factors are:
Access Older siblings and college age friends are all home for the holidays. They are often the ones who buy and furnish alcohol for teens.

Availability: Refrigerators are stocked and readied with alcohol for family parties.

Time: School is out. Teens have plenty of down time to hangout and engage in risky behavior.

Adult Modeling: Adult role models intermingle drinking with the hunting sport.

Underage drinkers are more likely to engage in risky behaviors putting themselves in danger of drunk driving fatalities, crimes, neurological brain damage, STD’s, unwanted pregnancies, and addiction.
This holiday season, parents and adults have an opportunity to establish strong family traditions that are not geared around drinking with a few simple steps. First, take time to divert teen alcohol use by promoting alcohol-free youth activities. Second, consider where the alcohol is stocked in your home and ensure it is locked up to minimize access. Finally, be a positive role model and limit your own alcohol intake.The Coalition reminds parents they do not have to tolerate underage alcohol use. If parents communicate their expectations on drinking to their teen agers, we can reduce alcohol related problems with youth this holiday season.

Report on Impact of Smoking Bans on Heart Attacks

2009-11-05T08:57:00.000-06:00

The Institute of Medicine recently released a report confirming evidence that exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease. Additionally, scientific evidence suggests that smokefree laws prevent heart attacks and save lives.

In its 2009 report, Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Cardiovascular Effects: Making Sense of the Evidence, the committee concludes that data consistently demonstrates that secondhand-smoke exposure increases the risk of coronary heart disease and heart attacks and that smoking bans reduce this risk. Given the prevalence of heart attacks, and the resultant deaths, smoking bans can have a substantial impact on public health.

Another article that describes two of the studies that were in the report (one report from Circulation and one from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology) can be found here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8267523.stm

ONLY 242 days until Wisconsin goes SMOKE-FREE!

happy breathing,
emily

Another Editorial Board Sounds Off on Improper Use of Taxes

2009-10-12T13:04:00.000-05:00

From the Baraboo News Republic, Monday, October 12, 2009.

http://www.wiscnews.com/bnr/opinion/465693

WI Wins Program Continues to be Effective Despite Funding Cuts

2009-10-02T10:20:00.000-05:00

The WI Wins tobacco compliance check program, despite funding cuts to the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program is still a needed and effective program in Winnebago County. The TFDFC Coalition partners with local law enforcement agencies and county youth to conduct these checks.

How the Program Works

Minors, with the accompaniment of an adult from the TFDFC Coalition, attempt to purchase tobacco products at randomly selected business that hold a tobacco license. Businesses that do NOT sell to the minors are congratulated by the Coalition for following the law and not selling tobacco to minors. Clerks that complete sales of tobacco products to minors are fined. Fines in Winnebago County range from $87-$298.

Compliance Checks in Winnebago County

All law enforcement agencies in Winnebago County have been cooperating with the Coalition for the past several years to enforce the law by issuing citations to non-compliant businesses and clerks. Research shows illegal sales go down when compliance checks are in place and there are immediate consequences issued to those who sell tobacco to minors.

Tool for Retailers

The WI Wins program offers outreach and education to tobacco retails through an online program http://Smokecheck.org. Smokecheck.org is an easy online tool to learn the facts about Wisconsin's tobacco sales laws. When employers and employees know the facts, they can avoid a big mistake and expensive citations. The website offers downloadable study guides and an online test.

Non-Compliance Rates

Currently, the 2009 non-compliance rate is 20.9%. In 2008, the non-compliance rate in Winnebago County was 23%; in 2007, it was 12.5%. There is obviously still a need for this program in our area and our Coalition will continue to conduct compliance checks.

If you would like more information about the WI Wins program, please contact Emily at edieringer@co.winnebago.wi.us

Tobacco Quit Line Loses Funding Despite Increase in Cigarette Tax

2009-10-01T09:25:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone

Please see the article below. It was posted on the Wisconsin State Journal's website on Sept. 30.

If you would like more information on this issue or ideas of how you could help, please contact SmokeFree Wisconsin. A link to their website is on the right-hand side of this blog.

-emily

Starting Thursday, smokers with health insurance who call the state Quit Line for help kicking their habit will get less help, the result of a 55 percent cut in state funding to smoking cessation and anti-smoking programs.

In spite of soaring state cigarette taxes, the Quit Line's funding was slashed by two-thirds - from $3.7 million a year to $1.2 million - as part of the broad cuts implemented in the 2009-11 budget signed by Gov. Jim Doyle to help solve the state's massive deficit. Total funding for anti-tobacco programs was cut from $15.3 million a year to $6.9 million.

The cuts follow a 75-cent increase in the cigarette tax on Sept. 1 that brought the state tax to $2.52 per pack, and also follows a $1-per-pack increase in 2008 - moves made to help solve budget deficits.

Maureen Busalacchi, executive director of SmokeFree Wisconsin, said more resources are needed by smokers motivated to quit by both the tax increase and a state smoking ban on bars and restaurants going into effect on July 5, 2010.

"When people need the resources most, we'll be least able to help them," Busalacchi said.

The Quit Line previously offered four sessions of follow-up calls to state smokers who call seeking to kick the habit, along with two weeks of a free nicotine patch or nicotine gum, at a total cost of $323 for callers who use all those services, said Moira Harrington, spokeswoman for the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, which oversees the Quit Line.

The Quit Line, operated by a company in Seattle, still will offer the same level of service to smokers with no health coverage or with state Medicaid coverage for the poor, she said. But smokers with private health insurance now will receive one follow-up call and the nicotine replacement items, said Harrington, who couldn't rule out additional cuts in services.

"It's not a decision we made lightly," she said. "We've just had to make a hard choice."

Dr. Michael Fiore, director of the center, said research showed more follow-up counseling sessions with smokers was more effective in helping them quit.

State Department of Health Services spokeswoman Stephanie Marquis said smokers with private health insurance still will be able to make repeat calls to the Quit Line. But now the responsibility is on the smokers to call, instead of the counselors making follow-up calls to the smoker.

"This means we will make the best use of limited Quit Line resources and maximize access to smoking cessation services through private insurance," Marquis said

Other cuts to state tobacco control programs included:
• Overall programs to help people quit smoking, including the Quit Line and programs aimed at pregnant mothers, fall from $5 million a year to $1.8 million.
• Training and technical assistance for those working to reduce smoking drop from $1.5 million in 2009 to $505,000 in 2010.
• Anti-tobacco programs aimed at minorities drop from $1.3 million to $752,000 and programs aimed at teens will drop from $928,500 to $390,000.
• Anti-smoking advertising falls from $835,000 to $430,000.

Busalacchi said she supports a bill by Rep. Jeff Smith, D-Eau Claire, that would provide more than $2 million in additional money for anti-tobacco efforts. The bill would do so by rolling back a recent increase in how much of the cigarette tax can be kept by wholesale tobacco sellers to cover the costs of collecting the tax for the state and placing tax stamps on cigarette packages.

A representative of the industry, which opposes the bill, could not be reached for comment late Wednesday.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt_and_politics/article_abc73658-ae10-11de-ad74-001cc4c002e0.html

Drug Prevention Gets Delicious

2009-09-28T13:24:00.000-05:00

Teens Who Eat Infrequent Family Dinners Likelier to Drink, Smoke, Use Drugs
September 23, 2009

Share Email Print Subscribe Announcement

From:
National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA*) at Columbia University

New York, NY, September 23, 2009 – Compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (five or more per week), those who have infrequent family dinners (fewer than three per week) are twice as likely to use tobacco or marijuana; more than one and a half times likelier to use alcohol; and twice as likely to expect to try drugs in the future, according to The Importance of Family Dinners V, a new report by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.

The report also found that compared to teens who have five to seven family dinners per week, those who have fewer than three family dinners per week are:

Twice as likely to have friends who use marijuana and Ecstasy;
More than one and a half times likelier to have friends who drink, abuse prescription drugs, and use Meth; and
Almost one and a half times likelier to have friends who use illegal drugs like cocaine, acid and heroin.

"The magic of the family dinner comes not from the food on the plate but from who's at the table and what's happening there. The emotional and social benefits that come from family dinners are priceless," said Elizabeth Planet, CASA's Vice President and Director of Special Projects. "We know that teens who have frequent family dinners are likelier to get A's and B's in school and have excellent relationships with their parents. Having dinner as a family is one of the easiest ways to create routine opportunities for parental engagement and communication, two keys to raising drug-free children."

Most Comprehensive Drunk Driving Bill in Decades Passes State Assembly

2009-09-23T13:32:00.000-05:00

On Thursday, September 17, the Assembly voted 95-0 in support of Assembly Bill 283 authored by Representative Tony Staskunas. Below is a brief summary of the key provisions. In his floor speech Staskunas said this is the beginning of the process and there are many other things we can do to continue the fight. This was truly a bi-partisan effort and he should be commended for reaching out to the republicans and welcoming their ideas.

The Senate still has to act and many believe a bill will be on the Governor's desk by November.

The specific provisions are:

Mandatory Ignition Interlock Devices for first time offenders with a .15 BAC and all repeat drunk drivers.
Allowing the Expansion of the Winnebago County Safe Streets Treatment Options Program statewide.
Closing .08-.099 BAC Loophole.
Allowing probation for 2nd and 3rd OWI offenses.
Extending the period of license revocation until after completion of sentencing.
Penalty enhancer for causing injury.
Making a 4th OWI a felony if it is within five years of a previous OWI conviction.
Criminalizing a first OWI if there are any children in the vehicle at the time of arrest.
Increase the OWI surcharge by $100 to pay for Prosecutors.
Re-direct the beer tax to the Department of Corrections for AODA programs.
Immediate incarceration upon a 3rd OWI conviction.
Direct the Judicial Council to develop statewide sentencing guidelines for OWI offenses.

Candy and Fruit Flavored Cigarettes Now Illegal in United States; Step is First Under New Tobacco Law

2009-09-23T13:17:00.000-05:00

FDA NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Sept. 22, 2009

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today a ban on cigarettes with flavors characterizing fruit, candy, or clove. The ban, authorized by the new Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, is part of a national effort by the FDA to reduce smoking in America. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in America.
The FDA's ban on candy and fruit-flavored cigarettes, effective today, highlights the importance of reducing the number of children who start to smoke, and who become addicted to dangerous tobacco products. The FDA is also examining options for regulating both menthol cigarettes and flavored tobacco products other than cigarettes.
"Almost 90 percent of adult smokers start smoking as teenagers. These flavored cigarettes are a gateway for many children and young adults to become regular smokers," said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. "The FDA will utilize regulatory authority to reduce the burden of illness and death caused by tobacco products to enhance our Nation's public health."
Flavors make cigarettes and other tobacco products more appealing to youth. Studies have shown that 17 year old smokers are three times as likely to use flavored cigarettes as smokers over the age of 25.
"Flavored cigarettes attract and allure kids into lifetime addiction," said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Health Howard K. Koh, M.D., M.P.H. "FDA's ban on these cigarettes will break that cycle for the more than 3,600 young people who start smoking daily."
The FDA is taking several steps to enforce the ban. A letter recently sent to the tobacco industry provided information about the law, and explained that any company who continues to make, ship or sell such products may be subject to FDA enforcement actions.
The FDA has also made available today an advisory to parents on the risks associated with flavored tobacco products.
"Youth are twice as likely to report seeing advertising for these flavored products as adults are," said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, a pediatrician and the FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner. "Marketing campaigns for products with sweet candy and fruit flavors can mislead young people into thinking that these products are less addictive and less harmful."
The FDA encourages consumers to report continuing sales of flavored cigarettes through a special tobacco hotline (1-877-CTP-1373) and Web site (www.fda.gov/flavoredtobacco).

General information can be found at:

http://www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/FlavoredTobacco/default.htm

Q & A information can be found at:

http://www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/FlavoredTobacco/ucm183228.htm

Factsheet for parents can be found at:

http://www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/FlavoredTobacco/ucm183198.htm

(just a side note, this law only regulates flavors in CIGARETTES, smokeless products, cigars, cigarillos, etc are NOT included. The FDA bill does not speficially call for a ban on candy-flavored non-cigarette tobacco products. Hopefully, with efforts from Coalitions like ours, this will change.)

FDA Warned about Big Tobacco's Marketing Tricks

2009-09-14T15:25:00.000-05:00

Twelve months after the date of enactment of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, tobacco manufacturers and others will be prohibited from using descriptors, such as "light", "mild", "low" or "other similar descriptors" in the label, labeling or advertising of tobacco productswithout an order from the FDA because of the scientific evidence that these products do not reduce the risk of disease.

A letter was submitted to the FDA today by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Heart Association, the American Legacy Foundation, the American Lung Association, and the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids alerting the FDA of possible industry efforts to get around the ban.

If you see evidence of these efforts in your community, comments can be submitted to the FDA on this and other issues at www.regulations.gov

"We have a serial killer we need to take down in Winnebago County."

2009-09-10T16:00:00.000-05:00

RX Press conference Notes 9/10/09

Press in attendance: WLUK TV 11, WBAY TV 2, WGBA TV 26, WFRV TV 5, WHBY 1150 AM, WTAQ, WOSH, Post Crescent, Time Warner Cable On Demand
Click www.wbay.com scroll down and find the video that was shown on Channel 2

Scope of Problem: JB Van Hollen- WI Atty. General:
Van Hollen started out saying that "RX drug abuse/misuse is a serial killer that needs to be taken down. (Making the comparison to Milwaukee’s recent headlines). We need to raise awareness and advise the public of the degree of the problem. This is a huge problem with a simple solution, educate youth on dangers and reduce access to non-prescribed drugs."

Legislative Efforts: Rep. Gary Sherman (D-Port Wing)
Sherman is author of a bi-partisan bill that will monitor prescription drug dispensers. He says there is "nothing political about it". Whenever a customer purchases a prescription drug they are entered into a data base. The intent is to drastically reduce "Dr. Shopping" or the practice of persons going to several pharmacies or stores to attempt to purchase prescription drugs at various locations in same time frame. 14 people died in his area of Ashland and Bayfield Counties from RX OD, non died from hard drugs overdoses. This bill has a lot of support and is on the floor for hearing Wednesday Sept 15. If passed (and he expects it to since WI is only one of 3 states that do not have such a process already) it then goes in front of senate to be heard. I asked him after the conference how can our coalition support this bill and he said that after its heard next week and on its way to Senate. We should be lobbying and writing letters and making phone calls to our senators in support.

Prevention Efforts: Jason Weber-Town of Menasha PD
Ripon traffic stops have produced bags of pills. Homes and businesses in Winnebago County are reporting burglaries and theft of pills. Realtors are alarmed that prescription pills are being stolen out of open house showing in Two Rivers. "Pharm" parties are occurring all too often in Green Bay. This is why Crime Prevention Officers in partnership with Purdue Pharm, a Drug Free America and the Drug Free Communities coalition has developed "Good Drugs Gone Bad" community toolkit. It includes presentations targeted at teens, parents of teens, and older adults as well as pharmacy security measures, posters, PSA’s and more. Coalitions and Crime Prevention officers are now working on extending materials to targeted groups. Weber will distribute tool kits at State wideCrime Prevention Conference and local coalitions plan "train the trainer" workshops to share with youth workers.

Victim Impact: Karen Falck parent of Cory McNeil (Depere HS student who died 3 years ago of Rx drugs)
This was an emotional account on how vibrant her son was. He was an athlete and a well rounded respectful youth. He got caught up in drugs, began lying to her and she was ultimately shocked to get a phone call saying he died from drug use. She is an advocate because this with this form of substance abuse "there is no time to learn from your mistakes, its too late, it kills you."
Cindy Meyers parent of 19 year old former drug user. Discussed how parents should be cautious and secure their pills, at least make kids work hard for them if they are going to steal them. Too easy to experiment.

Questions on trend: Brad Dunlap-MEG fielded press questions on upward spike of drug use and also referred to the MEG Threat Assessment

Visuals: Barry Busby-County Coroner displayed pictures of the abundant supply of prescription pills taken from homes of deceased this year alone. He explained to the press the intent of the time released products and how overdoses occur all too often when youth crush, or take pill in non-prescribed form.

For more information, contact Lisa Brown, lbrown@co.winnebago.wi.us

RJR, Other Tobacco Companies Go To Court to Evade Regulation by FDA

2009-09-08T13:38:00.000-05:00

This press release was circulated on August 31 by Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Thought our readers would like to know.

Today’s announcement by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Lorillard Inc. and other tobacco manufacturers that they have filed suit to overturn portions of the recently passed FDA tobacco legislation is not unexpected. The lawsuit, filed in the federal court in Bowling Green, Kentucky, seeks to overturn portions the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act which deal with advertising, marketing and labeling of tobacco products.

The tobacco companies have challenged language in the bill that would compel them to scientifically justify claims of "reduced risk" for any tobacco product. They are also challenging the requirement for larger graphic warning labels on cigarette packs, as well as restrictions on colorful advertising which impacts children, advertising within 1000 feet of playgrounds or schools and numerous other marketing and advertising restrictions. In challenging these restrictions in the FDA tobacco legislation, R.J. Reynolds and the others are asking a federal court to allow them to continue to employ the same irresponsible and deadly marketing techniques which have addicted generations of American children and caused an epidemic of disease, death and heartbreak for American families.

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, signed into law on June 22, 2009 by President Obama, is carefully crafted and consistent with the First Amendment. The advertising and marketing restrictions in the bill, first introduced in 1996 as the FDA Tobacco Rule, have been reviewed and cleared by the U.S. Department of Justice. The restrictions have been carefully developed to satisfy constitutional requirements. They are supported by recent findings by the Institute of Medicine, the President’s Cancer Panel and The U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, and the National Cancer Institute.

The lawsuit filed today is simply more proof that the tobacco industry is far more interested in its bottom line than it is in doing anything meaningful to stop the cycle of addiction and disease that comes from tobacco use. The FDA tobacco bill, when fully implemented, will save lives. We hope the federal court will quickly and decisively reject the latest attempt by Big Tobacco to circumvent the law, and allow the FDA to get on with its role in putting an end to the deceptive and dangerous tobacco marketing practices which have taken such a terrible toll on this nation’s health.

A related article published in the New York Times can be read here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/01/business/01tobacco.html?_r=1&ref=health

$.75 Tax Increase on Cigarettes Will Happen September 1st

2009-08-27T12:54:00.000-05:00

The cigarette tax, a seventy-five cent per pack increase, will take effect Tuesday September 1 as part of the 2009-2011 State Budget. The tax will help smokers quit and prevent young people from starting to smoke. The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (TFK) estimates that 17,000 Wisconsin adult smokers will quit and about 33,100 children will not start smoking as a result of the tax increase.

TFK also estimates that 15,000 smoking deaths will be prevented as a result of the tax, and Wisconsin is projected to save nearly $750 million in future health care costs.

Not only will the tax increase affect cigarettes but it will also affect other kinds of tobacco including moist snuff, chewing tobacco, cigars and loose tobacco.

Quitting smoking improves health and quality of life. If you are a smoker and want to quit
talk with your healthcare providers about quitting or contact the Coalition at 920-232-3000.

TFDFC receives continuation funding from ONDCP

2009-08-24T15:48:00.000-05:00

The Tobacco-Free & Drug-Free Communities Coalition has received notice from ONDCP (Office of National Drug Control Policy) and SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency) that our Drug Free Communities grant has been continued for October 2009-September 2010.

You can check out the list of 2009 continuation grantees at www.ondcp.gov/dfc.

This is gret news!

Our Coalition has worked very hard this year building partnerships and engaging in efforts to reduce substance abuse among our community's youth and adults.

Thank you to all of our Coalition partners and supporters!

Pro-Tobacco groups spend $1.25 million for lobbying in six months.

2009-08-21T13:05:00.000-05:00

Pro-tobacco corporations spent a record $1.25 million in the first half of 2009 lobbying in Wisconsin in opposition to the increase in the cigarette tax and the smoke-free workplace legislation, according to reports submitted to the Government Accountability Board (GAB). Pro-health organizations spent $172,835 lobbying for these measures during the same period- a ratio of seven to one.

The tobacco tax, smoke-free legislation, and tobacco prevention and control funding were all key issues during the legislative session.
While the tax increase and smoke-free workplace legislation passed both houses, tobacco prevention and control funding was reduced by 55%.

The two major pro-tobacco corporations, Altria- Philip Morris
(Marlboro) and Reynolds American (manufacturer of Camels, Kool and
Winston) spent a total of $985,000 in the first six months of the legislative session. In their GAB reports, the companies stated their efforts were in opposition to the tax increase of cigarettes.

The cigarette manufacturers’ lobbying reports also stated that a substantial majority of their lobbying costs were not in payment for lobbyists’ fees. Altria reported $462,000 and Reynolds reported
$300,257 in expenses that were not detailed. The GAB allows these costs for research, public relations (to urge the public to influence state
legislation) and volunteers’ expenses.

Overall, Altria ranked second in expenditures among lobbyists in this period and Reynolds American ranked sixth. The highest ranking pro-health organizations were the Wisconsin Medical Society which ranked 18th and the American Cancer Society which was 62nd.

Organizations primarily opposing the smoke-free workplace legislation included the Tavern League of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Association of Music and Amusement Operators.

The leading pro-health organizations,in order of their expenditure, were American Cancer Society, Smoke Free Wisconsin, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, the Wisconsin Medical Society and the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.

Expenditures by Altria may be higher than reported. According to the GAB report, 163 hours of lobbying services were reported by Essie Kammer Group but without payment. Fees for Altria’s other primary lobbyists, former Acting Governor Schreiber and Tavern League lobbyist Scott Stenger, ranged between $47,000 and $50,000 for a similar number of hours worked.

The tobacco tax increase takes effect on September 1, 2009 and the all Wisconsin workplaces go smoke-free on July 5, 2010. According to a recent WI Department of Health Services’ survey one in five adults in Wisconsin regularly smoke.

Some details released about how WI TPCP will handle 55% reduction in funding

2009-08-19T13:33:00.000-05:00

Tobacco Prevention and Control (TPCP) has suffered a drastic cut in funding as a result of the 2009-11 State Budget. This means there are many changes that will take place statewide and locally when it comes to prevention and control initatives. However, TPCP is committed to supporting Wisconsin smokers quit, preventing youth from starting, providing smoke-free air for everyone at their workplace and working to eliminate disparities among population groups.

TPCP announced plans for the remainder of 2009 and all of 2010 to continue to implement a comprehensive approach to tobacco prevention and control. Please click the link below to view the Budget Summary or the webinar from August 18th.

http://www.tobwis.org/coalitions/index.php?cid=47

Some details about how this will effect local coalitions like the TFDFC are included in the Budget Summary. For more details, please contact Emily, edieringer@co.winnebago.wi.us

Tobacco Prevention and Control Gets the Word Out

2009-08-17T15:27:00.000-05:00

You may have noticed the recent string of ads regarding second-hand smoke. They are from the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program.

Starting August 3rd, the TPCP and the Wisconsin Ethnic Networks and Tobacco Prevention and Poverty Network launched a new media campaign entitled "Everybody Smokes When Anybody Smokes". The campaign is geared towards African American, Native American, Hispanic/Latino, Hmong, and Low Socio-Economic populations. Elements include radio, bus, and billboard advertising. The ads encourage listeners to call the appropriate network or visit the campaign's Facebook page at www.endthesmoke.com (this URL redirects to the campaign's Facebook page).

The campaign is timed to coincide with network appearances at community events and will run for four weeks from Monday, August 3rd-Sunday, August 30th. The campaign has been in development for several months, and although the campaign budget was reduced, it will still communicate an important message to some of Wisconsin's most disparately-impacted populations.

NH man charged 23 quadrillion dollars for smokes

2009-07-20T08:56:00.000-05:00

A little humor in times of budget cuts is sometimes needed. This article ran via the AP on Thursday Jul 16, 9:11 am ET

MANCHESTER, N.H. --“ A New Hampshire man says he swiped his debit card at a gas station to buy a pack of cigarettes and was charged over 23 quadrillion dollars.
Josh Muszynski (Moo-SIN'-ski) checked his account online a few hours later and saw the 17-digit number--a stunning $23,148,855,308,184,500 (twenty-three quadrillion, one hundred forty-eight trillion, eight hundred fifty-five billion, three hundred eight million, one hundred eighty-four thousand, five hundred dollars).
Muszynski says he spent two hours on the phone with Bank of America trying to sort out the string of numbers and the $15 overdraft fee.
The bank corrected the error the next day.
Bank of America tells WMUR-TV only the card issuer, Visa, could answer questions. Visa, in turn, referred questions to the bank.

Now if only we could have used that money for prevention efforts and billed Visa! -emily

Tobacco Funding Cut...Tobacco-Free Familes Bill

2009-07-14T12:59:00.000-05:00

As you know, tobacco control funding has been decimated by Wisconsin’s budget process. While most state programs were cut five percent, the tobacco prevention and control program was slashed nearly 55 percent. Every dollar cut from this funding means fewer kids being "immunized" from tobacco companies’ attempts to recruit new customers, smokers going without the resources they need to quit, and an even greater burden of tobacco on Wisconsin.
A bill has been introduced that would restore some of this lost funding.

The Tobacco Free Families Bill, authored by Rep. Jeff Smith, is currently circulating for co-sponsors in both houses of the legislature. If passed, the bill would lower the discount on tobacco tax stamps for tobacco retailers, generating some $2.4 million for the tobacco prevention and control program.

Bill process: Legislators can sign on to sponsor the bill July 31, 2009. The bill will then be turned in to leadership in the Assembly and Senate for a bill number and committee assignment. From there, the bill will likely go to a committee in both the Senate and Assembly, and then to the Joint Finance Committee. If passed out of the committees, the same bill must be passed by both houses of the legislature and signed by the Governor before it becomes law.

Editorials and letters to the editor regarding the importance of program funding are highly encouraged.

For a fact sheet about the proposed bill click the link below:
http://www.tobwis.org/uploads/media/Poli-TobaccoFreeFamilies.pdf

To learn learn what you could do to support this legislation VISIT www.smokefreewi.org and click the "Take Action" tab.

For the list of current legislators who are co-sponsoring the bill, contact Emily at edieringer@co.winnebago.wi.us

Winnebago County Coroner and Tobacco-Free & Drug-Free Communities Leadership Committee Member raises awareness!

2009-07-02T15:48:00.000-05:00

I have been Winnebago County Coroner for over 12 years. I have been involved in presentations to alert citizens of different tragedies/abusive behaviors and other serious issues in order to educate citizens and increase their safety. I am compelled at this time to share what I have seen recently in regard to alcohol related fatalities, the word has to get out! In 2007 there were 41,059 nationwide fatalities overall. Out of those 15, 387 were alcohol related which is 37%. In 2007, Wisconsin had 737 fatalities of which 337 were alcohol related (46%) which is the among the highest among all states. Winnebago County had 15 fatalities and 9 of those were alcohol related (60%). Operating a vehicle under the influence has destroyed too many families. Families that will never be able to talk see or spend time with the deceased because someone has made a terrible error in judgment. If a person who drives drunk and kills somebody lives, that person has nothing to look forward to but prison, but their family can still visit them in jail. However, families who lose a loved one will never see them again. I work with these families and see their pain. I am not promoting prohibition, I do not want to put taverns out of business…I am just saying If you are going to drink, please know how alcohol affects your body. Please know your limits!

Things to consider:
Gender
Weight
Size of drink
Food intake while drinking
# of drinks per hour/ rate of consumptiono
WHO IS DRIVING HOME?(designated driver, cab companies)

I am associated with the Tobacco-Free & Drug-Free Communities Coalition of Winnebago County. Visit this local group’s booth at Country USA or Waterfest where you can learn more about the amount of time it takes to reach 0.0 BAC after drinking. We need to educate citizens, support law enforcement’s efforts, call for legislators to toughen the laws related to OWI and judges need to hand down stiffer penalties for drunk drivers. We need to cut the losses on the highways and streets at every level.

What can you do?
Contact your legislators to ask for stricter penalties, they will listen. http://www.legis.state.wi.us/
If you are with someone who has consumed too much alcohol, don’t let them get behind the wheel.Have a sober driver take them home or call a cab.
If you see someone driving impaired call 911 immediately
Plan ahead and drink responsibly
If you are as passionate as me about this issue, contact Lisa Brown (920) 232-3009 of the Tobacco-Free & Drug-Free Coalition of Winnebago County at the County Health Department www.alcoholalert.com/drunk-driving-statistics.html
Submitted by Winnebago County Coroner Barry L. Busby

Going to a festival or event this summer?

2009-06-18T12:02:00.000-05:00

I've added a list to the right of the blog of some events that could be rated using our Summer Events Rating Sheet.

Anyone can rate any event. Those posted are just a few of the events going on in Winnebago County. If you have an event that you'd like to add, just email Emily edieringer@co.winnebago.wi.us or Lisa lbrown@co.winnebago.wi.us

FDA Granted Regulatory Power over Tobacco Products

2009-06-15T12:55:00.000-05:00

The information below is from an article posted today at NRO. Click this link for the full article. The author has some skeptical opinions about how the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act will benefit public health.

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YWUwOTExZGNjNTlmNWM1OGZkOWNhY2Q5ZTY5ODA3NTc

"The legislation grants the FDA expansive regulatory authority over tobacco products, including their development and advertising. The law will be administered by a new division within the agency and funded by special taxes on tobacco manufacturers that are expected to raise a half-billion dollars per year. So tobacco users will face still higher prices and more restrictions on their favored products. Less clear is whether the new law, taken as a whole, will enhance public health. Some portions of the bill are almost certainly unconstitutional, and others could inhibit the marketing of less dangerous products.

The central provisions of the bill establish a new regulatory regime for tobacco. The bill sets specific limits on advertising and promotion, prohibiting sponsorship of sporting and entertainment events, free product giveaways, and advertising in publications with substantial teen readership. The federal government will also regulate vending machine placement, self-service displays, point-of-sale advertising, and over-the-counter sales at retailers. The FDA will have explicit authority to develop additional marketing limitations as it deems appropriate.Manufacturers will be required to place expanded warning labels on their products and to provide the government with more detailed information about cigarette contents and smoking by-products. The law also bans flavored cigarettes--except for menthol."

President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law in the next few days.

More information can be found at SmokeFree WI's blog (link on this page) or at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids www.tobaccofreekids.org

FDA Regulation of Tobacco Closer to Becoming Reality

2009-06-12T11:37:00.000-05:00

The US Senate passed a bill giving the FDA authority over tobacco products this Wednesday. Some tobacco control advocates are wrestling with this bill because its authors have seemingly struck a deal with Philip Morris, the largest tobacco company in the US (makers of Marlboro). But regardless of this supposed "treaty," the FDA could potentially alter how cigarettes are manufactured and advertised in the US.

Highlights of the bill include:

Marketing and advertising. It bans the words "mild," "lite" and "low tar" on cigarette packages. It will restrict magazine advertising to plain tombstone ads, so-called because they are black and white print rectangles.
It prohibits marketers of smokeless-tobacco brands from making any suggestion that their products are healthier than cigarettes.
Cigarette packages will have to devote 50% of both sides to safety warnings. (The House version only requires 30%)
Flavored cigarettes, often marketed to children, would more than likely be completely prohibited.
One critical provision will undo a 40-year-old prohibition against state regulation of tobacco marketing. It will let states pass their own restrictions, such as "time, place and manner" limits on the way cigarettes are sold at convenience stores and gas stations.

A Wall Street Journal article summarizes much of the details of this historic legislation. The US House passed a similar bill in April.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124459144999600073.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

For additional information, visit the Smoke-Free Wisconsin blog (link on this page)

Our Strong Presence at Waterfest

2009-06-08T08:48:00.000-05:00

Our volunteers are making a strong presence with our Designated Driver project at Waterfest! We will continue to be there all summer on Thursday nights. A Party Sober banners labels our table while thought provoking sings line the blvd up to our point of contact. We posted the Cab Company # , have information from Solutions treatment center on hand, and everyone loves the "Party Sober" beads! WVBO radio station was on site June 4th and gave us a plug for our efforts. We appreciate the dedication of all those who have signed up to volunteer! Check out Chris DeIuliis who was joined by 2 Americorp volunteers Deanna Backhaus, Lynn Jaworski to represent us. They talked to attendees, and handed out coupons for free soda for those who are Designated Drivers at Waterfest. Way to go TF&DFC.
Contact Lisa Brown if you want to participate in other events this summer like Sovereign State Days, Sawdust Days or the Winnebago County Fair. lbrown@co.winnebago.wi.us

UPDATE: WI Tobacco Prevention and Control Faces Huge Funding Cut

2009-06-02T09:35:00.000-05:00

There have been some recent developments with the State’s Budget in the past few days that I’d like to share with you. An email I sent last week explained that the Tobacco Prevention and Control funding for the next two years may be cut by nearly 40%. This was included in a huge amendment called "Motion 700."

What this means for TPCP that instead of getting roughly $15 million a year, the program would only get about $9.35 million for 2009-10 and a little over $10 million for 2010-2011. See what has happened to other states that have cut tobacco control funding here: WhenStatesCutFundingFactsheet

This is potentially a devastating blow to all of us who have spent so much time an effort working to reduce tobacco use and exposure to Wisconsin residents, helping people find quit resources and helping youth to never become addicted. A snapshot of the success of the program can be seen here: TPCP works!

WE all worked very hard at the Joint Finance Committee hearings to gain back the $1.8 million that was originally cut. But with the economic situation looking more grim than originally forecast, TPCP could face the largest cut since the program began in 2002.

This cut in NOT official. The State Assembly will be debating/voting on the budget starting next week. From there it will move to the Senate. BOTH houses must approve the SAME budget bill in order for it to pass. Finally it would go to the Governor to sign. He does have limited line-item veto power.

On a side note, the $.75 cigarette tax increase was approved by the Joint Finance Committee. Also, this tax increase is NOT official until the budget is approved and signed.

If you’d like more information, the home page of SmokeFree WI has a statement about the situation.www.smokefreewi.org. You can also contact Liz Sanger lsanger@smokefreewi.org for additional info.

Thank you for all you hard work so far!

Cigarette Tax Increases Goes Through

2009-05-30T08:34:00.000-05:00

posted on SmokeFree Wisconsin's blog Friday, May 29, 2009. Follow the SFW blog by clicking on the link to the right.

Wisconsin will have the 5th-highest cigarette tax in the nation, thanks to a 75-cent tax increase passed early this morning by the Joint Finance Committee. Cigarette taxes in Wisconsin will now total $2.52 per pack. Like the budget itself, the motion that raised taxes on cigarettes passed 12-4 along party lines. The cigarette tax increase, assuming the budget moves through the next budget steps without changes, will take effect September 1

Wisconsin is going smoke-free: What’s next?

2009-05-29T12:55:00.000-05:00

The following was posted on the Janesville Gazette's website, http://gazettextra.com by Maureen Busalacchi, Executive Director of SmokeFree Wisconsin.

Wisconsin is going smoke-free! Eighty-six legislators voted in favor of workers' health and for safer workplace environments, including restaurants and bars. And that means bartenders, wait staff, musicians and others will experience fewer colds, runny noses, itchy eyes and other signs of respiratory distress, and more importantly, fewer cases of cancer, emphysema, heart attacks and other horrible diseases caused by exposure to secondhand smoke. All are indisputable benefits of smoke-free workplaces.

It's been a long and important battle for SmokeFree Wisconsin, an organization that has worked with local communities and state leaders to bring smoke-free air to Wisconsin citizens for the past nine years. But now that Wisconsin is the 27th state to pass a smoke-free workplace law, what's next for SmokeFree Wisconsin? Plenty.

We have and will continue to focus on policies that we know reduce youth tobacco use--such as raising the price of cigarettes and other tobacco products through higher taxes and funding prevention and educational programs. While the tobacco industry continues to target and addict youth by developing and marketing candy-flavored products that hook kids on new types of tobacco products, we must step up efforts to prevent tobacco addiction.

We already have a successful and proven tobacco control program in place. There is a strong correlation between the beginning of the program and the 40 percent reduction in youth smoking over the course of the past seven years. If we discontinue or reduce tobacco control programs targeted at youth, smoking rates will climb back up. And the cycle of addiction, disease and death will continue to devastate Wisconsin families.

Not only do kids need support, but adult smokers do, as well.

The state-sponsored tobacco Quitline has received tens of thousands of calls from smokers who want to quit tobacco for good, and we simply must do everything we can to help the one million tobacco users in this state.

Our work is not done, and our task will not be easy. But what's at stake is staggering:
Tobacco is the biggest cause of preventable, premature death and disease in Wisconsin, claiming nearly 8,000 lives every year. And the cost to Wisconsin citizens to treat tobacco-related diseases is real (to the tune of more than $2 billion each year). We all pay these costs in the form of higher health insurance premiums, so it's in everyone's interest to reduce the number of smokers in our state.

So today, let's celebrate Wisconsin becoming a smoke-free state--and thank the 86 forward-thinking legislators who chose health and prevention by voting for a smoke-free Wisconsin. They will go down in history as leaders who rescued many thousands of our citizens from premature death and illness.

But tomorrow, here at SmokeFree Wisconsin, we'll roll up our sleeves and continue our daily battle against tobacco--and its devastating path of destruction.

Maureen Busalacchi is executive director of SmokeFree Wisconsin, phone (608) 268-2620; e-mail mbusalacchi@smokefreewi.org.

With the recent 40% that the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program that was approved by the Joint Finance Committee there are several changes that could take place.

What will happen next:

More changes to the budget by JFC
JFC's budget moves to full Assembly for debate and vote (great opportunity for you to tell your state representative to reverse the cut - explain how the Quitline, your local coalition, or youth prevention activities have made a difference for you)
Budget moves to full Senate for debate and vote (important to also let your senator know why tobacco prevention is important to you or the people you care about)
Budgets are reconciled between the Assembly and Senate
Budget heads to governor's desk
Governor may exercise line item veto power and sign or reject the legislature's budget

On another note, it looks like the proposed tobacco tax increase will be up for debate later tonight.

Coalition Partners with Waterfest

2009-05-28T12:34:00.000-05:00

The Coalition has partnered with Waterfest in Oshkosh to host a Designated Driver Party Sober table. "Fest-goers" will be given mardi gras beads and free water/soda tickets if they are planning on "partying sober" that night or if they are a desginated driver.

Signs will line the sidewalk with great messaging about what could happen to you if you drive home after drinking alcohol, the difference between a cab ride and an OWI ticket and information about what our Coalition is and does.

We are grateful for the UWO AmeriCorp volunteers that will be energizing the Coalition through the end of July. BUT, more volunteers are still needed! If you are available on a Thursday night from 5:30-7:30pm, please contact Lisa Brown at lbrown@co.winnebago.wi.us for more information.

Check out the Waterfest line-up at http://www.waterfest.org/.

(Did I mention you get into Waterfest FREE if you are volunteering at the table?! ;-) Looks like it will be a great partnership and lots of fun!

Drunk Driving Hearing scheduled for June 2; register or testify

2009-05-27T13:24:00.000-05:00

Greetings Partners:

Representative Tony Staskunas has long been an advocate on trying to fix what’s wrong with our system as it relates to drunk driving. Today he has introduced an omnibus bill on drunk driving which includes his ignition interlock device bill. Below is a summary of the many changes his bill makes along with a copy of the actual bill. He has a scheduled a public hearing on the bill for next Tuesday, June 2 at the State Fair Park in West Allis.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Assembly Public Safety, 12:30 pm, Tue, June 2, State Fair Park, TGT Youth Center, Banquet Room 2, 640 S. 84th St., West Allis.
Hearing on:
AB-283. DWI (Staskunas) Penalties for drunk driving.

1 - Mandatory Ignition Interlock Devices This proposal would require the installation and use of Ignition Interlock Devices (IIDs) for all repeat drunk driving convictions and for first time high BAC (.15 or higher) convictions for at least one year. Under AB 17 the convicted drunk driver would be responsible for paying for the installation and monitoring costs of the IID. OWI offenders whose income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty level would only be required to pay half of the installation and monitoring costs. Additionally, the offender would pay a $50 fee to the DOT to cover the state’s covers for IID oversight. The costs for this legislation will be paid for by the offender, not by the state.
The ignition interlock device equipment would be required for one year from the date that an offender obtains a drivers license. Offenders will not be able to ‘wait out’ the 12 month IID requirement during their license suspension.
2 - SAFE Streets Treatment Options Program In 2005 a pilot program was created in Winnebago County to offer reduced time of imprisonment to convicted OWI offenders contingent upon successful completion of a local treatment program in conjunction with probation. Offenders can opt to participate in this program only one time.
Data collected over the first two years of the project shows that Winnebago County saved over $465,000 dollars in jail time costs for the county which has allowed the county to spend $218,000 fewer dollars in overall criminal justice spending. Perhaps most importantly, the SAFE Streets program has a record 4% recidivism rate for those completing the program, significantly reducing the likelihood of re-offence.
This provision will allow the expansion of the SSTOP program statewide. Participation would not mandatory; this proposal simply allows counties to offer such programs within their jurisdiction.
3 – Punishing Repeat Drunk Drivers – There are currently statutory mandatory minimum jail sentences for misdemeanor OWI offenses and for 5th and 6th offenses, there are not for 7th and subsequent offences. This provision would establish mandatory minimum jail sentences for all OWI offenses.
There are ten judicial districts in Wisconsin. Each one has established their own OWI sentencing guidelines. As a result a person convicted in one judicial district can receive a much more lenient sentence than a person convicted of the same OWI offense in a different district. By establishing mandatory minimum sentencing we can be confident that a person convicted of a 7th OWI will serve a minimum of three years in prison no matter which part of the state they are from.
4 - Closing .08-.099 Loophole When the prohibited blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for the operation of motor vehicles was lowered from 0.10 to 0.08 in 2003, a special exemption was created for first-time offenses falling between the old limit and the new limit. This provision would repeal those exemptions.
Under current law, in addition to other penalties, individuals convicted of operating while intoxicated are subject to a number of penalty surcharges and court fees and must comply with a drug and alcohol assessment before their driving privileges can be reinstated. However, first-time offenders who have a BAC of 0.08 or more but less than 0.10 are not subject to penalty surcharges, court fees, or drug and alcohol assessments.
5 - Probation for OWI Offenses Under current law, a Judge may not order probation as part of the sentence upon a second or third OWI conviction. This provision would add probation as an additional option for Judges when issuing OWI sentences. Giving Judges the ability to individualize sentencing to include supervision, counseling or treatment could help to rehabilitate the offender.
6 - Extending the period of revocation Currently if a driver is convicted of an OWI offense has their license suspended and is sentenced to confinement, the suspension and jail time run concurrently. So upon release from jail if he could be eligible to get his license back immediately if the jail time and suspension were for the same time frame.
The punishment of a suspended license becomes almost irrelevant if the revocation runs at the same of incarceration. This provision changes state law so that the clock doesn’t start running for driver license revocations until after the OWI offender has completed their incarceration.
7 – Penalty Enhancer for causing Injury Currently if a driver is convicted of an OWI or an OWI-homicide offense, previous OWI convictions are taken into consideration for sentencing. This is not the case for OWI-causing injury offenses. This provision would simply allow previous OWI offenses to be considered in these cases in which a drunk driver caused injuries.
8 - Fourth OWI - Felony This provision would make a fourth OWI offense a felony if the driver had a previous OWI−related conviction, suspension, or revocation within the previous five−year period.
9 – Repeat Offender Absolute Sobriety If the person has three or more prior OWI−related convictions, suspensions, or revocations, the prohibited alcohol concentration is defined as an alcohol concentration of more than 0.02. This provision changes the absolute sobriety requirement to commence after a second OWI conviction.

Lisa Maroney UW Health State Legislative Liaison (608)265-1653 (608)206-5829 cell 635 Science Drive, Suite 150 Madison, WI 53711

Wisconsin Joins the Ranks of Smoke-Free States

2009-05-19T16:31:00.000-05:00

From the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/Script/DisplayPressRelease.php3?Display=1155

The Wisconsin legislation adds to the growing momentum across the country and around the world to protect everyone's right to breathe smoke-free air. The Wisconsin Legislature voted just hours after lawmakers in North Carolina approved similar legislation, which will make it the first major tobacco-growing state to prohibit smoking in all restaurants and bars. With the addition of Wisconsin and North Carolina, nearly 59 percent of Americans will be protected by strong smoke-free laws that include restaurants and bars. No one should have to put their health at risk in order to earn a paycheck or enjoy a night out.

Wisconsin joins 26 other states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico in passing smoke-free legislation that covers restaurants and bars. The states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana (extends to bars Oct. 1, 2009), Nebraska (June 1, 2009), New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina (Jan. 2, 2010), Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota (July 1, 2009), Utah, Vermont and Washington. A growing number of countries have also passed nationwide smoke-free laws, including Bermuda, Bhutan, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Uruguay.

Wisconsin will go SMOKE-FREE

2009-05-15T10:05:00.000-05:00

Congratulations are in order! Wisconsin is another huge step closer to being the 27th smoke-free state in the nation (North Carolina will be 26th). Both the Senate (25-8) and Assembly (61-38) passed identical smoke free laws on Wednesday (SB 253 & AB 181).which now goes to Governor Doyle. The governor announced that it will be signed into law on Monday, May 18. To accompany this action, the governor will be holding “signing events” in 3 cities on Monday. Contact Emily by 3pm on Friday, May 15 if you'd like to attend the event in Green Bay.

This victory is a direct result of the countless efforts made by all of us in tobacco control. Smoke-free efforts first began in 1991 with the ASSIST Project, continued throughout the many years, and culminated with the targeted focus on a statewide smoke-free air policy in 2008 and 2009. While the legislation that was passed isn't perfect, it will protect the health of nearly all Wisconsin workers and patrons, and stands as a remarkable public health achievement for our state.

Our fight is not over. There is still an incredible amount of work to be done to reduce the suffering caused by the tobacco industry. However, with the continued commitment of all tobacco control partners, I am confident that Wisconsin's tobacco prevention and control movement is more than ready to meet the challenges that lie ahead.

Please take some time to celebrate our remarkable accomplishment and congratulate your colleagues for their efforts. Thank you for all of your hard work! Its a GREAT time to be a resident of Wisconsin and will be even better in July 2010!!

More Than 1 in 10 Children Live with a Substance Abusing Parent

2009-05-11T15:47:00.000-05:00

Study: Almost 12 percent of children under the age of 18 years of age live with at least one parent who was dependent on, or abused alcohol or an illicit drug during the past year, according to a report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The report is based on national data from 2002 to 2007."The chronic emotional stress in such an environment can damage their social and emotional development and permanently impede healthy brain development, often resulting in mental and physical health problems across the lifespan. This underlines the importance of preventive interventions at the earliest possible age."

Almost 7.3 million children lived with a parent who was dependent on or abused alcohol
About 2.1 million children lived with a parent who was dependent on or abused illicit drugs
5.4 million children lived with a father who met the criteria for past year substance dependence or abuse
3.4 million lived with a mother who met this criteria

The full report is available on the web at: ttp://oas.samhsa.gov/2k9/SAparents/SAparents.cfm.

Substitute amendment to the smoke-free air bill

2009-05-07T12:44:00.000-05:00

The Assembly and the Senate Health Committees have both heard the SFA bill. There was a lot of testimony from those in favor and opposed to the bill. After speaking with both sides, the Committee has offered some amendments to the original bill. On Friday, both Committees will meet in executive session, without public debate and will have a test vote on AB 253 and SB 181 with the proposed amendment outlined below. If passed, it will move to the organization committees in both chambers (the Senate and Assembly rules committee).

Amendments to AB 253 and SB 181
*Date of implementation: July 2010 (the original bill has 60 days, this is now 14 months)
*Fine structure: Individuals caught smoking in workplaces would be fined $100-$250. Business owners are under "due diligence" principle, which means if they see a violation, ask the person to stop, stop serving the customer, and ask them to leave the premise, they will not be fined if they call the police. The owner’s first violation does not carry a fine, but each subsequent offense has a $100 fine.
*Outside smoking: The bill says smokers have to maintain a "reasonable distance" from any smoke-free building. The bill also pre-empts local governments from passing ordinances banning smoking on outdoor patios. Governments can still regulate and pass smoke-free ordinances on outdoor city property such as parks and fair grounds. Individuals businesses can also choose to have smoke-free patios.
*Tobacco retailers that receive 75% or more of their income from tobacco sales can have smoking in their business.
*Cigar bars that receive 15% or more of their income from cigar sales can have cigar smoke in their establishments, but not cigarette smoke. Cigar bars are allowed to have a liquor license. (The current established cigar bars in Wisconsin (there are aprox. 10 in the state) will be grandfathered in. SmokeFree WI and other memebers of the Holding our Breath Coalition are working on setting a specific date for the grandfathering in of these and tobacco retailers.)
*Hookah bars: Indoor smoking will not be allowed under the bill or the proposed amendment, but could be allowed if 75% or more of their sales are from tobacco.
*Hotel rooms are not exempt under the new amendment. The original bill allows for hotel owners to have up to 25% of rooms be smoking. There might be an additional amendment on this when it’s debated on the floor.
*The bill and new amendment are silent on casinos. There is not a legal way to mandate that Native American casinos become smoke free, because they are sovereign nations and the state of Wisconsin does not have jurisdiction over them.
*Nursing homes are not exempted at this time. That may change due to federal law.
*Assisted living homes are considered private residences and individual rooms can allow smoking if it is someone’s personal residence. Additionally, if two or more people share a room and all want to allow smoking, they can sign a written agreement to that effect.
*Community based treatment centers (ie for treating alcohol or drug addiction, or a mental health facility) are not exempted from the smoke-free law.

If business owners are ready to go smoke-free now we can certainly encourage businesses to go smoke-free early.

The bill is part of the legislative process and although it contains a longer implementation date and more exemptions than we would prefer, it is an indoor smoke-free air bill, which is the ultimate goal, and the compromises introduced in this bill give it a better shot at passing.

REMEMBER: The smoke-free legislation has not passed yet, and we need to work hard to make sure it passes next week. Expect quite a few amendments to be debated on the floor. In addition, the smoke-free provision in the budget will be taken out at some point, but the exact timeline is unclear.

Timeline for the SFA bill after this week:
*Tuesday May 12: The Assembly Democrats will caucus about the smoke-free bill.
*Wednesday May 13: The bill will be up for debate in both houses. They will vote on the original bill, the proposed amendment, and any other amendments proposed.
*Both the Assembly and the Senate need to pass the same bill with the same amendments in order to send it to the governor for his signature. If one house adopts an amendment and the other does not, we do not have a bill and it must be debated upon again until both houses agree on the same version.

Contact SmokeFree WI (http://www.smokefreewi.org/) if there is something specific that you want to do on the 'lobbying' end.

Otherwise, contact Emily, edieringer@co.winnebago.wi.us with questions.

Status of SB181 and AB253

2009-05-05T10:41:00.000-05:00

There are 26 Representatives and 7 Senators that have signed on to sponsor the Smoke-free Air Bill. This is great news!

The Senate committee will be holding a hearing TODAY at 10am on SB 181 (SFA) and the Assembly wil be holding a hearing TOMORROW at 10am on AB 253 (SFA) Both bills are the same one that is in the Budget. Executive sessions to vote on the bill are scheduled for Thursday for the Senate, and Friday for the Assembly.

You can watch the hearings live on Wisconsin Eye: http://www.wiseye.org/wisEye_stream/wisEye_StreamCap2_Video.html

The SFA bill will be going to the floor to be voted upon on May 13. From there, if both versions of the bill are the same, it could become law. If the senate and house versions are different, they will have to go back and make both versions the same before it can be passed into law.

As of now, there are some questions on "outdoor exemptions," fines associated with non-compliance with the law, implementation date (60 days-1 year have been thrown around), cigarette bar amendments, tobacco retailer amendments, and hotel/b&b amendments.

I'll try to keep updating as often as new information becomes available. If there is something YOU want to do to help the cause, write a letter to the editor about the importance of a comprehensive smoke-free air law with no exemptions and no delays as it relates to the health of everyone.

As a side note, the cigarette tax is still in the budget, waiting to get voted upon. It could stay in or it could be taken out. They haven’t gotten that far into the budget yet.

MORE NEWS on Smoke-free Air!!

2009-05-01T11:02:00.000-05:00

The statewide smoking ban will get a public hearing Wednesday, May 6, in the Assembly Committee on Health and Healthcare Reform, according to Milwaukee Dem Rep. Jon Richards, the committee chairman.

This hearing will begin at 10:00 a.m. and will be in room 412 East at the Capitol if you plan to attend. Remember, if you work for any governmental agency, this is considered a lobbying event so please plan accordingly.

The bill, AB 252, is the same as the language proposed by Gov. Jim Doyle in the state budget.

A vote is being planned for May 8, and could come to the floor on May 13.

Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker, D-Weston, told his caucus this week that he'd like the smoking ban in his house by May 13.

Another Update on Statewide Smoke-Free Air

2009-04-30T10:58:00.000-05:00

As of Thursday morning, there has been a total of 32 legislators that have signed on as co-sponsors of the stand-alone smoke-free bill! This is great news!!! Winnebago County legislators that have signed on include Rep. Dick Spanbauer, Rep. Gordon Hintz and Sen. Mike Ellis. These legislators deserve a THANK YOU from their constituents for their support of this issue. Their email addresses are:

Rep.Spanbauer@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep.Hintz@legis.wisconsin.gov

Sen.Ellis@legis.wisconsin.gov

The next steps for the stand-along bill include submitting the bill to theCommittee on Health in the Assembly and/or the Senate. I'll keep the blog updated as more information is available.

The stand-alone smoke-free bill, which is nearly identical to the smoke-free proposal in the governor's proposed budget, offer us another chance to guarantee Wisconsin passes a smoke-free law this legislative session. With a smoke-free bill as part of the budget and as stand-alone legislation, this issue won't be ignored!

If you haven't visited http://www.smokefreewi.org/ recently, check it out to see what else you could do to make sure WI is the NEXT smoke-free state! Also, letters to the editor expressing your opinion on statewide smoke-free are ALWAYS appreciated!!!

Let me know if you have questions. 920-232-3021. edieringer@co.winnebago.wi.us

Update on Statewide Smoke-Free Air and Program Funding

2009-04-27T12:33:00.000-05:00

Statewide Smoke-Free Air will be introduced as stand-alone legislation. Lead sponsors are Rep. Richards, Rep. Ott, Sen. Risser and Sen. Ellis. There is a memo circulating among legislators asking them to co-sponsor legislation to make Wisconsin smoke-free. The deadline for co-sponsorship is end of business Wednesday.

The Lead Sponsors have a committement to move this legislation along very quickly. They are hoping to introduce it into both houses before the State Budget is finalized. This means they are shooting for each house to take it up sometime in May.

ALSO, the Smoke-Free Air Bill is STILL in the Budget. As it stands right now, the language is very similar to the stand-along bill. Lawmakers are hoping that the Budget will be ready to be voted upon before the end of June.

If you want to know who your lawmaker is, visit: www.legis.wisconsin.gov/w3asp/waml/waml.aspx

I will try to update everyone on smoke-free air as often as I can. This will be moving very quickly in the next few weeks.

For the most up-to-date information or to learn more about what you can do, visit http://www.smokefreewi.org/ or http://www.holdingourbreathwi.com/.

On a side note, I had posted last week that the Tobacco Program Funding was restored into the Budget. Here are a few more details:
*Tobacco Prevention and Control will have $30.5 million allocated to it over the 2009-2010 fiscal year.
*The restored $1.8 million will be placed into the 2009 year. Therefore, 2010 will be operating on a $900,000 cut when compared to 2008 funding levels.
*The word is not final on if the restored funding will STAY in the Budget. Now that the Joint Finance Committee has voted on it, this piece of the Budget will go to the Senate and then to the Assembly.

Visit the Legislature's home page http://www.legis.state.wi.us/ to search for details on the Budget process.

And as always, contact me with questions.

Tobacco Prevention and Control Program Funding Restored!

2009-04-24T07:56:00.000-05:00

Posted on Smoke-Free Wisconsin's Blog late Thursday evening by Liz Sanger.

This just in from the Joint Finance Committee session last night: Tobacco Prevention and Control Program funding has been restoredto its current level of $15.25 million per year. (Vote: 12-4)

This is good news for state taxpayers, our next generation of youth in Wisconsin, and tobacco users who need help quitting their addictions.The program works. It saves taxpayer dollars. The investment is critical.

Our work isn't done, so keep your sleeves rolled up!

THANK YOU to all of you for your hard work so far.

Parents Who Host Lose the Most:Don't Be a Party to Underage Drinking

2009-04-22T12:13:00.000-05:00

Parents Who Host Lose the Most campaign is being conducted in partnership with Drug-Free Communities Coalition ,Oshkosh Police Department, Winneconne Police, Omro Police, Winnebago County Sheriff's Office, University of WI-Oshkosh and US Bank.

We have blanketed the community with awareness materials that educate residents on both the dangers and consequences of furnishing minors with alcohol. The community response has been impressive. College youth from the "Helping Hands" UWO volunteer group assisted Lisa Brown, Dorry Wilner and Diana Zeller April 18th where we distributed lawn signs, window clings, fact sheets, stickers and more at area businesses and residential communities.

The pilot state of Ohio boasted huge gains by implementing this program. After 6 years of campaigning every spring they realized results:
42% drop in the number of youth who knew parents who hosted teen parties

36% drop in the number of youth who had attended teen parties where alcohol was served in the past 2 months

29% decrease in the number of parents surveyed who knew of other parents who served alcohol to youth.

We hope to follow their lead. We have a great start with Mayoral Proclamations stating that April is alcohol awareness month. Thanks to Bob Breu of Omro and now former mayor of Oshkosh,Frank Tower. If you are interested in viewing some role plays of community leaders engaged in conversations with youth regarding NOT serving alcohol at their grad party, please view http://youtube.com/Parentswhohost

This campaign is strategically designed for this time of year, to precede prom and graduation parties and support parents with positive strategies to celebrate their youth's achievements and milestones. (Neighboring towns in Neenah& Menasha will be served in summer when they anticipate a well attended parent athletic code meeting.)

CALL TO ACTON EVENT! For all parents of teens, teachers, coaches, youth workers, family members and concerned neighbors. Let's pull together and put a dent in the teen culture of underage drinking! See you there:
Oshkosh West High School
Monday April 27 6-7 PM

Tobacco Prevention and Control Funding to be Voted Upon

2009-04-22T09:08:00.000-05:00

On Thursday, April 23, the Joint Finance Committee will consider Tobacco Control Program funding. Here’s a link to the specific proposals under consideration: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lfb/2009-11Budget/Budget%20Papers/454.pdf

Three options that under consideration are:

*Fund the program at the governor’s recommended reduced level: $14,350,000 GPR (a reduction of $900,000 from the previous annual rate)

*Fund the program at a lower rate, $13,250,000 GPR (a total cut of $2,200,000)

*Fund the program at the previous level: $15,250,000 GPR annually (current funding)

The excise taxes and smoke free air bill are expected to come up later in the budgetary process, but before the JFC’s target end date in June.

IT IS IMPERITIVE THAT OUR LEGISLATORS KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TOBACCO PREVENTION AND CONTROL PROGRAM!

You can contact your Senator or Representative to let them know about all the great things the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program does.

If you don't know who your legislators are, you can find out here:
http://www.legis.wisconsin.gov/w3asp/waml/waml.aspx

If your legislator(s) don't serve on JFC, urge them to tell their colleagues on the Committee what you said about the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program.

When you contact your Senator and Representative, don't forget to:
*Identify yourself as a constituent
*Tell them all the great things Tobacco Prevention and Control Does
http://www.tobwis.org/uploads/media/Policymakers-Program2008.pdf
* Educate them on need for continued funding and what could happen if funding is cut
http://www.tobwis.org/uploads/media/Poli-WhenStatesCutFundingFactsheet.pdf
*Stress the importance of tobacco control funding to improve the health of everyone, reduce health care costs and increase workplace productivity in Wisconsin.

If you'd like more information, please contact Emily Dieringer. edieringer@co.winnebago.wi.us

Tobacco Issues Take Center Stage at Appleton Joint Finance Meeting

2009-04-07T10:57:00.000-05:00

The State's Joint Committee on Finance held a hearing on April 1 at Lawence University to hear the concerns of the members of the public on the 2009-2011 Budget proposed by Gov. Doyle. Tobacco Control's presence, powerful testimony, and passion were on full display.

A "re-cap" of the Appleton Hearing:
* 222 individuals/groups registered to speak at the hearing (largest hearing to date)
* Began at 10am and lasted until 5:45 pm
* There were approximately 50 people in line by 8:15 am; One of the last individuals to speak for the day commented that he arrived at 10:10am
* 3 FACT groups, 3 representatives from the Native American Network, 23 NE Region reps from 12 counties, and 9 N Region reps from 4 counties spoke on tobacco
* 100+ written testimonies were submitted
* A handful of individuals in the crowd not affiliated with our movement asked to wear our stickers
* Groups of 3 or more were organized the morning of the hearing, but larger groups and fewer speakers were requested by some of the legislators in the early afternoon
* 2 individuals spoke in opposition of smokefree workplaces

A "re-cap" of the testimony from all of hearings in regards to the 3 tobacco issues in the budget this year:
* At least 133 adults gave spoken testimony!
* 156 FACT youth participated with 42 presenting spoken testimony
* There were so many supporters of tobacco control that the committee asked us to group testimony together
* Countless amounts of written testimony were submitted.
* The outpouring of public support for strong tobacco control policies during the JFC hearings was covered by local media across the state.

THANK YOU to Lori Duclon, Doug Gieryn, Cheryl Laabs, Bonnie Thomas, and Kate Hoerth along with 30 UWO Nursing Students for submitting written testimony from the Winnebago County Tobacco-Free Coalition.

And a SPECIAL THANK YOU to Lara Vendola-Messer for attending the hearing along with Lisa Brown and Emily Dieringer who gave spoken testimony.

All of your efforts make a difference!

U.S. House Takes Giant Step Toward Historic Regulation of Tobacco Products

2009-04-02T13:34:00.000-05:00

the following news release was posted by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

Washington, DC (April 2, 2009) – The U.S. House of Representatives today put Congress on the brink of truly historic action to reduce tobacco use – the nation’s No. 1 cause of preventable death – by approving legislation granting the FDA authority over tobacco products. We urge the Senate to quickly pass this legislation and resist all efforts to weaken it. There are few steps Congress can take that would make a bigger difference for America’s health than to pass this long-overdue legislation. It will end the special protection the tobacco industry has enjoyed for too long and protect our children and the nation’s health instead.

We applaud House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Representative Todd Platts (R-PA) for their leadership in introducing this strong legislation and quickly moving it forward.

Today’s 298-112 vote underscores the broad, bipartisan support for this legislation and provides strong momentum for enacting it into law this year. It has been endorsed by more than 1,000 public health, faith, medical and other organizations (see list at www.tobaccofreekids.org/reports/fda/organizations.pdf). A poll last year found that 70 percent of American voters support FDA regulation of tobacco products (see details at www.tobaccofreekids.org/fdapoll/). It has been endorsed by scientific authorities including the Institute of Medicine and the President’s Cancer Panel.

Tobacco use kills more than 400,000 Americans and costs the nation $96 billion in health care bills each year. Every day, more than 1,000 children become new regular smokers. Yet tobacco products are exempt from the FDA’s common-sense regulations that apply to virtually every other product we consume, from food to drugs to cosmetics. This allows tobacco companies to market their deadly and addictive products to children, deceive consumers about the harm their products cause, make changes to their products without disclosing them (such as manipulating nicotine levels in cigarettes), and resist any meaningful change to make their products less harmful.

This legislation would grant the FDA the authority and resources to effectively regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco products. Among other things, it would:

· Restrict tobacco advertising and promotions, especially to children.
· Stop illegal sales of tobacco products to children.
· Require larger, more effective health warnings on tobacco packages and advertising.
· Ban misleading health claims such as “light” and “low-tar” and strictly regulate all health claims about tobacco products to ensure they are scientifically proven and do not discourage current tobacco users from quitting or encourage new users to start.
· Require tobacco companies to disclose the contents of tobacco products, as well as changes in products and research about their health effects.
· Empower the FDA to require changes in tobacco products, such as the removal or reduction of harmful ingredients or the reduction of nicotine levels.
· Fully fund the FDA’s new tobacco-related responsibilities with a user fee on tobacco companies so no resources are taken from the FDA’s current work.

Youth Stand Up to Big Tobacco on Kick Butts Day: t-shirts gives area students the power to be heard

2009-03-25T10:47:00.000-05:00

Three area schools want to stand up, speak out, and seize control against Big Tobacco. Oshkosh West High School, Winneconne Middle School, and Neenah High School are using the power of the T-shirt to promote youth advocacy against Big Tobacco companies as part of Kick Butts Day (March 25), a national day of youth empowerment sponsored by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

Students created the designs for the shirts after learning all the tactics Big Tobacco uses to get kids to buy their products. They are now using their own words and sales against them by wearing their shirts on Wednesday to educate and engage other youth in the fight.

Oshkosh West’s students chose to focus on how Big Tobacco doesn’t care about how many people they kill: "We really need something for people to die of." –British American Tobacco, 1987. (Yes, a tobacco company actually said this). Tobacco kills about 8000 people in Wisconsin every year, and another 1200 die from diseases related to second-hand smoke.

Winneconne Middle chose to not be a target for Tobacco’s advertising money: "I am not a target of Big Tobacco. They are wasting their $276 million. I won’t fall for their dirty tricks." Tobacco companies spend $276 million on advertising each year in Wisconsin. Only $15 million is allotted to fund the State’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program.

Neenah High is playing the numbers game with select students wearing shirts with a number like 20% or 400,000. Only about 20% (1 out of 5) high school students in Wisconsin smoke. 400,000 people die annually in the US. 400,000 kids under 18 also start smoking each year. Several students also created a public service announcement for their school. It can be viewed at http://moodle.neenah.k12.wi.us/groups/wnhs/blog

The Tobacco-Free & Drug-Free Communities Coalition of Winnebago County teaches kids that most adults and kids don’t smoke and that Big Tobacco is marketing specifically to them. But, that message is much more effective when it comes from their peers.

Additional information on Kick Butts Day can be found at http://kickbuttsday.org/

My SmokeFree Story website allows everyone to be heard

2009-03-09T12:31:00.000-05:00

Do you have a story to share about second-hand smoke? How it affects you and your family and friends? Know someone that has suffered the ill effects of someone else's smoke?

Here's the place to tell story. www.mysmokefreestory.com

When we talk about the effects of secondhand smoke in our lives, we stand a better chance of getting secondhand smoke out of our lives—and our air—for good.

There are two easy ways to share your story:

Call--It's your story, tell it in your own voice— call toll-free, 1-866-94STORY (1-866-947-8679). Just follow a few simple instructions to make an audio submission that could be featured on mysmokfreestory.com. It's a free and easy way to share your thoughts and feelings about the air we all have to breathe.

Click--Just click 'share your story' on the website to tell your smoke-free story, even upload a photo. Then hit "preview" to see your submission before you send it. You'll be contacted to let you know when your story is available online.

Coalition Informs Communities about Statewide Smoke-Free Air

2009-03-06T09:05:00.000-06:00

Engaged supporters urged to contact legislators

Several community members came out to one of two Town Hall-style meetings on March 4 in Menasha and March 5 in Oshkosh to learn about the status of the smoke-free air law that Governor Doyle introduced with his budget in mid-February. Supporters listened to a variety of speakers as to the reasons why Wisconsin needs to go smoke-free in all workplaces.

At the Menasha meeting, held at the Menasha Public Library, residents heard from Dr. Shiloh Ramos, who practices family medicine and sits on the Winnebago County Board of Health. He explained that workplace smoke-free air policies dramatically reduce heart attacks in smokers and non-smokers. Jeff Phillips, the Environmental Health Supervisor for Winnebago County, refuted the argument that many opponents of a smoke-free air law make. "Delivery people, plumbers, electricians, sanitarians, and health inspectors don’t get to choose which businesses they go into. They often get left out of the discussion."

Eduardo Sanchez, owner of Solea Mexican Grill in Menasha didn’t open his first restaurant smoke-free, but after listening to the concerns of his employees, polling his customers and receiving a phone call from one of his best customers that had asthma, he decided to go smoke-free. His second location in Neenah opened smoke-free and business couldn’t be better. Finally, Maureen Busalacchi, from SmokeFree WI, gave an update on where the legislation for smoke-free air sits and recommended that supporters contact their legislators with their opinions. Representative Dean Kaufert, answered questions from the audience.

The following evening at the Oshkosh Public Library, community members listened to Dr. Brian Harrison from Affinity Occupational Health explain that any amount of second-hand smoke increase one’s risk for a heart attack which in the end costs everyone in lives and dollars lost. UWO Nursing student Erin Foldstad told her story about working as a waitress in a smoke-filled environment as she tries to put herself through college, noting that the best paying jobs for students are usually in bars and restaurants.

Representative Gordon Hintz, who has been a champion in the Legislature for Tobacco Prevention and Control, gave several reasons why Wisconsin should go smoke-free. "One of the best ways that the State can reduce health care costs, without spending a lot of taxpayers’ money, is to implement a statewide smoke-fee air law." The final speaker of the night, Liz Sanger, from SmokeFree WI, invited the audience to contact their legislator, write a letter to the editor, and visit www.mysmokefreestory.com or the the Holding our Breath campaign website, http://holdingourbreathwi.com to get their voices heard.

Former Winston Man Dies of Cancer

2009-03-05T11:55:00.000-06:00

Alan Landars, former Winson model and now anti-tobacco company adovcate passed away on February 27 from complications of his throat cancer.

He spoke out against tobacco marketing to children and worked to hold the tobacco industry accountable and liable for causing addiction and disease in smokers. He supported regulating tobacco products and nicotine as a drug and was the spokesman for the World Health Organization. Most people in the world of Tobacco Control recognize his testimony against Big Tobacco when he quoted an executive: "We don't smoke it. We just sell it. We reserve that for the young, the poor, the black, and the stupid."

He appeared in the majority of the print ads for the R.J. Reynolds tobacco company in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s as the “Winston Man”. He also appeared on billboards and in magazine advertisments holding a Winston cigarette urging others, young and old, to smoke. Alan was expected to portray smoking as stylish, pleasurable, and attractive and was required to smoke on the set, constant smoking was required to achieve the correct appearance of the cigarette, ash and butt length.

Despite the fact that he worked closely with cigarette company personnel during the shooting, at no time was he ever told that cigarettes could be dangerous to his health.

In 1987, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. Since then he faced one medical challenge after another, and, since his second diagnosis in 1993, had survived with only two lobes of his lungs. His lungs looked good, until in late 2008 he was diagnosed with inoperable throat cancer.

To learn more about this tobacco-control advocate, visit his website: http://winstonman.com/

Binge Drinking on College Campuses

2009-03-04T15:19:00.000-06:00

Thanks to partner Steve Herman, Winnebago County Sheriff Deparment, for his comittment to our cause. He shared this article. Click on link to view in its entirety.

Summary: 60 Minutes, CBS's weekly newsmagazine (link was posted in an earlier TFDFC blog), aired a story on underage drinking focused on the significant problem of binge drinking on college campuses but did not include peer-reviewed scientific data showing lives are being saved.

http://www.jointogether.org/news/yourturn/announcements/2009/60-minutes-youth-access.html?log-event=sp2f-view-item&nid=49472735

Teen overdoses in Whitefish Bay, impacts community

2009-03-04T08:30:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Officer Jason Weber, Town of Menasha PD, for sharing this news article!

Whitefish Bay freshman found dead was to enter rehab program

More than 300 people gather at St. Monica Catholic Church in Whitefish Bay on Monday night to mourn for Madison Kiefer. The 15-year-old Whitefish Bay girl was found dead over the weekend. “She was always smiling,” said one friend.
Girl had abused drugs for 2 years, dad says

Three friends talk about their love for Madison Kiefer during the St. Monica service on Monday.

Whitefish Bay - The father of a 15-year-old girl who was found dead in a friend's home said she had abused drugs for two years and was scheduled to enter drug rehabilitation Tuesday, according to a Milwaukee County medical examiner's report released late Monday.
Whitefish Bay police said they have arrested two men and one woman in connection with the death of Madison Kiefer, who "may have consumed unknown quantities of drugs."
What types of drugs may have been involved is not yet known.
Maddie Kiefer's death stunned her North Shore suburb, although friends said they had begun fearing for her since she began her freshman year at Whitefish Bay High School in the fall. Some 300 people turned out at a prayer service for her Monday night.
Kiefer "was very energetic when she was younger, she always had a smile on her face," said Kevin Tighe, 17, in an interview during the day. But over the past several months she was more morose and spent time with a new group of friends, he said.
"To a T, the story of just going down the wrong path," Tighe said.
Kiefer was found unresponsive about 9:45 a.m. Sunday in a home in the 5100 block of N. Diversey Blvd. in Whitefish Bay that is several blocks from her home, according to the medical examiner's report.
One of Kiefer's friends lives in the home, and the friend's mother found her, the report says.
Kiefer's father, Michael Kiefer, told a medical examiner's investigator that his daughter had gone on a binge and was stoned Wednesday.
Michael Kiefer told the investigator that his daughter was trying to party before entering treatment, which was to begin Tuesday, according to the report.
Maddie Kiefer sneaked out of her family's home Saturday night, and her family discovered her missing Sunday morning, the report says. Michael Kiefer began calling his daughter's friends and then got a call from one of them, who said Maddie was at her home and "not looking well."
Michael Kiefer told the investigator that when he and his girlfriend arrived at the friend's home, the North Shore Fire Department was trying to revive his daughter.
Michael Kiefer could not be reached for comment but said through Father Jerry Herda that he and Maddie's younger brother and two older sisters are heartbroken.
Herda is pastor of St. Monica Parish in Whitefish Bay, which held an evening prayer service Monday for Kiefer.
Maddie Kiefer's mother, Catherine Kiefer, died several years ago from cancer.
Whitefish Bay police said in a statement that Maddie Kiefer had been at one Whitefish Bay residence where she may have consumed drugs before two men dropped her off at the Diversey Blvd. home. No one answered the door there Monday afternoon.
Maddie Kiefer was found with what appeared to be self-inflicted cuts to her arms and wrists, according to the medical examiner's report. She had a history of problems with alcohol, marijuana and pills, and had been prescribed medications by a psychiatrist, her doctor told an investigator.
Teen friends of Maddie Kiefer's told investigators that Kiefer and a friend may have gone to a drug dealer's home Saturday night. But the report also said that details in the teens' stories changed as they spoke to police.
At the memorial service Monday night, students hugged each other and cried, and many wrote notes to the families of Kiefer and Laura Miller, a Nicolet High School freshman who recently died of cancer.
Kiefer's friends remembered her as an upbeat girl with an infectious smile who looked out for her younger brother, Bryce.
"She was always smiling," said Laura Troshynski, 15, who attended grade school with Kiefer.
"She never got mad at you. She could make anything funny."
But Natalie Sivilotti, 15, and other friends said they became concerned for Kiefer in recent years.
"Maddie attracted so many people with her personality, good and bad," Sivilotti said
One of Kiefer's sisters, Chloe, is a freshman attending the University of Louisville on a soccer scholarship. She was a standout goalie for the soccer team at Divine Savior Holy Angels High School in Milwaukee.
Bill Henkle, the principal at Whitefish Bay High School, said Maddie Kiefer was the first student at the school to die since Adam Lemel, who had a heart condition, collapsed while playing basketball in a junior varsity game in Grafton in 1999.
"Obviously, there are many kids who are hurting and are trying to cope with the loss," Henkle said.
Two minors died of drug overdoses in Milwaukee County in 2007 and three in 2008, according to medical examiner's records.
No minors had died from drug overdoses in the county in 2009 as of Feb. 8, the records show.
Erin Richards of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.

Community Meets to Discuss Status of Statewide Smoke-Free Air

2009-03-03T11:59:00.000-06:00

In an effort to educate the community about the dangers of second-hand smoke and the benefits of a statewide smoke-free air law, the Tobacco-Free & Drug-Free Communities Coalition of Winnebago County will hold 2 separate Town Hall meetings on:

Wednesday, March 4 at 5:30pm
Menasha Public Library, 440 First Street

Thursday, March 5 at 5:30pm
Oshkosh Public Library, 106 Washington Street

The information presented at the Town Hall meeting will explain why a statewide smoke-free law is the only option to protect everyone from the dangers of second-hand smoke, dispel some of the myths about enacting a smoke-free law, and educate community members on ways to help Wisconsin become a smoke-free state.

For more information, please contact Coalition Co-Coordinator, Emily Dieringer at 920-232-3021.

Lower the Legal Drinking Age from 21 to 18?

2009-02-23T11:00:00.000-06:00

Last night, CBS's 60 Minutes aired a story about the debate about lowering the legal drinking age. One of the main reasons, supporters say, is to reduce the number of non-traffic deaths due to alcohol poisoning/injury. They belive underage drinkers are less likely to call for help because they don't want to get in trouble for drinking underage. I thought it was a really good news story and covered both sides equally. If you've got 15 minutes, click on the link below and watch the video from February 22.

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/60minutes/main3415.shtml

-emily

Girls and Young Women Newest Targets of Big Tobacco

2009-02-20T13:53:00.000-06:00

excerpts from a report released Feb 18, 2009 from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

The tobacco industry has a long history of developing cigarette brands and marketing campaigns that target women and girls, with devastating consequences for women's health.

In the last two years, the industry has launched its most aggressive marketing campaigns aimed at women and girls in over a decade. These campaigns are again putting the health of women and girls at risk and underscore the need for Congress to pass legislation granting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco products.

The nation's two largest tobacco companies-Philip Morris USA and R.J. Reynolds-have launched new marketing campaigns that depict cigarette smoking as feminine and fashionable, rather than the harmful and deadly addiction it really is:

In October 2008, Philip Morris USA announced a makeover of its Virginia Slims brand into "purse packs"-- small, rectangular cigarette packs that contain "superslim" cigarettes. Available in mauve and teal and half the size of regular cigarette packs, the sleek "purse packs" resemble packages of cosmetics and fit easily in small purses. They come in "Superslims Lights" and "Superslims Ultra Lights" versions, continuing the tobacco industry's history of associating smoking with weight control and of appealing to women's health concerns with misleading claims such as "light" and "low-tar." http://tobaccofreekids.org/slideshow/deadlyinpink_2009_01/slideshow_full.html

In January 2007, R.J. Reynolds launched a new version of its Camel cigarettes, called Camel No. 9, packaged in shiny black boxes with hot pink and teal borders. The name evoked famous Chanel perfumes, and magazine advertising featured flowery imagery and vintage fashion. The ads carried slogans including "Light and luscious" and "Now available in stiletto," the latter for a thin version of the cigarette pitched to "the most fashion forward woman." Ads ran in magazines popular with women and girls, including: Vogue, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire and InStyle. Promotional giveaways included flavored lip balm, cell phone jewelry, tiny purses and wristbands, all in hot pink.
http://tobaccofreekids.org/slideshow/deadlyinpink_2009_02/slideshow_full.html

Previous marketing campaigns have had a devastating impact on women's health. The nation's latest cancer statistics, released in December 2008, showed that while lung cancer death rates are decreasing for men, and overall cancer death rates are decreasing for both men and women, lung cancer death rates have yet to decline for women.

Watch the video: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/microsites/deadlyinpink/?autologin=true

To read the entire report, visit the Campaign For Tobacco-Free Kids website (link located under "tobacco links").

Doyle to Call for 75cent Hike in Cigarette Tax

2009-02-17T08:27:00.000-06:00

By Steven Walters And Patrick Marley
Posted on www.jsonline.com

Feb. 17, 2009 5:48 a.m. Madison – Gov. Jim Doyle will call for a 75-cent increase in the state tax on a pack of cigarettes in the budget he will announce at 7 p.m. today – a change that would raise the state tax on smokers to $2.52 per pack, three sources confirmed.
If approved by the Legislature, the increase would mean that the state tax on a pack of cigarettes would have tripled in the six years that the two-term Democratic governor has been in office – from 77-cents to $2.52. The $1 per pack increase – from 77-cents to $1.77 – approved two years ago cost smokers about $110 million more a year, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.
A 75-cent increase in the state tax would follow a 62-cent increase per pack in the federal tax, which was raised to pay for health-care programs for children.
The new 75-cent increase in Wisconsin's tax would be part of an attempt to raise money to pay for health care and smoking cessation programs and make the price of smoking so high it forces smokers to quit and stops children and teens from starting to smoke.
Tonight, Doyle will also again call for a ban on smoking in workplaces statewide, including restaurants and taverns. The governor's push for a similar smoking ban two years ago never got a vote in either the Assembly or Senate, but some form of it is expected to pass the Legislature this session.

Virginia Lawmakers Approve Statewide Smoking Ban

2009-02-13T09:19:00.000-06:00

The following summary was posted on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation website. If VIRGINIA can do it, I'd sure hope Wisconsin could do it (and with less exemptions)!

The Virginia House of Delegates on Monday approved sweeping legislation that would ban smoking in bars and restaurants in the state, the Washington Post reports. Currently, individual bars and restaurants in Virginia are permitted to enforce their own smoking restrictions. However, the new bill, which was revised several times before being approved, bans smoking in all restaurants and bars. Exceptions to the bill allow for smoking in outdoor patio areas, at restaurants during private functions that use the entire facility, and at clubs and bars when underage patrons are not admitted. In addition, the law would permit smoking in rooms that are separated by doors, regardless of whether the room has a separate ventilation system. Violations for noncompliance would result in a $25 fine, a figure that has drawn criticism from the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society and other smoke-free policy proponents for being too lenient. If approved by the state Senate as expected, Virginia would become the first state in the south to institute a full smoking ban (Kumar, Washington Post, 2/10/09).

Cigarette Brand Preference Among Middle and High School Students Who are Established Smokers--United States, 2004 and 2006

2009-02-13T09:04:00.000-06:00

The following summary appeared in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report MMWR News Synopsis for February 12, 2009

Research suggests that exposure to tobacco advertising and promotional activities play a role in influencing youth to start smoking. Knowing the cigarette brand preferences of student smokers, and the advertising and marketing used to promote these brands, provides vital information that can be incorporated into public health efforts to reduce youth smoking.

The three most heavily advertised brands--Marlboro, Newport, and Camel--continue to be the preferred brand of cigarettes smoked by middle and high school student smokers. According to this new study, 78 percent of middle school students and 87 percent of high school students prefer to smoke these three brands. The report found a considerable difference in brand preference among students by gender and ethnicity.

Marlboro is the preferred brand for middle and high school females (50 percent and 54 percent, respectively) compared to males (38 percent and 50 percent, respectively). The use of Camel was higher for middle school males (12 percent) than middle school females (4 percent). The report also found that black middle and high school students (60 percent and 79 percent, respectively) preferred Newport, a menthol cigarette that is strategically marketed to black communities.

Cutting down the haze

2009-02-12T09:06:00.000-06:00

It's time. The arguments against a comprehensive statewide smoking ban are hollow. Public health demands enactment.

an Editorial from www.jsonline.com Posted: Feb. 11, 2009

The state Legislature has shamefully dithered, and 37 Wisconsin communities now have some variation of a smoking ban. So, of course, bars and restaurants there have all boarded up their windows and gone bust.

Oh, right. They haven't.

In fact, some communities that were going to siphon off all the smokers' business after Madison went smoke free in 2005 have opted to copy their neighbor instead. That would be Monona, Middleton and Fitchburg.

This would seem to indicate that, far from reaping rewards from Madison's ban, these communities and their businesses saw some benefit from going smokeless.

State Sen. Fred Risser (D-Madison), among others, notes the trend as he readies another smoking ban bill. Rep. Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee), chairman of the health and health care committee, will introduce the Assembly version. They will introduce their bill at the end of the month.

Both houses should approve a comprehensive statewide ban. The governor has said he favors one.

One obstacle last year was Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker (D-Weston), who didn't let the bill come to the floor. The Senate's Democratic caucus should make it clear to their leader that being the obstacle again will be unacceptable.

It's time.

No doubt, the same resistance will surface from the tavern industry. Don't be distracted. This is not about the right of business owners to run their businesses as they please. It's about the right of employees to enjoy a safe work environment - not having to choose between a livelihood and health. And we should no more allow business owners to inflict smoke on employees and patrons than we would allow them to expose folks to asbestos or other harmful substances.

The bill, Risser and Richards say, will not allow exemptions and will impose a short transition period. This is as it should be.

The goal here should be public health, and there's scant room for compromise there.

Illegal to serve your youth, yep ESPECIALLY your own child!

2009-02-09T14:16:00.000-06:00

This message was received by Julia Sherman, WI Clearinghouse

Colleagues: I have been receiving numerous inquiries abut SB 30 and the changes that would occur if enacted.

In brief, SB 30 would allow make it illegal to serve alcohol to anyone younger than age 18 even if with a parent. Practically speaking, it establishes age 18 as the age at which parents could start purchasing alcohol for children on bars and taverns.

I realize many underage drinking prevention advocates are conflicted by this proposal. For some, this proposal eliminates the insanity of a parent legally purchasing alcohol for very young children. While for others it raises concerns about creating a toehold in Wisconsin for those who wish to roll back the 21 minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) such as the Amethyst Initiative.

I spoke to Justin Sargent, Senator Robson’s aide working on this bill, last week. He was unaware of the Amethyst Initiative, a national effort to reopen the minimum legal drinking age debate, and said that it was Senator Robson’s hope this bill would help change the drinking culture of Wisconsin.

State sanctioning of alcohol use at age 18 alcohol will impact the attitudes of older teens. Legal access for 18 year old teens has the potential to provide more opportunities for younger teens to obtain alcohol, both troubling possibilities.

The evidence in support of an age 21 MLDA is overwhelming:

States that lowered the minimum legal drinking age [between 1970 and 1976] experienced a 15% to 20% increase in alcohol related teen car crashes.[i]

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that the 21 minimum legal drinking age saves 1,000 lives each year on the highways. [ii]

When the MLDA is 21 underage youth drink less and continue to drink less into their early 20’s.[iii]

Medical research completed after the enactment of the age 21 MLDA support its importance. Medical research shows that brain development continues into the early 20’s. In addition, there is some question whether damage resulting from early alcohol use is reversible, testing of detoxified and comparable abstaining teens showed a significant reduction in the cognitive and analytical ability.[iv]

This bill is currently awaiting action in the Senate Committee on Children and Families and Workforce Development, chair
[i] 21 Turns 21, Driven, MADD 2004.
[ii] 21 Turns 21, Driven, MADD 2004.
[iii] O’Malley, PM , Wagenaar, A, Effects of minimum drinking age laws on alcohol use, related behaviors and traffic crash involvement among American youth: 1976-1987. Journal Studies of Alcohol, 1991.
4. National Academies of Science, Institute of Medicine, Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility. Richard J. Bonnie and Ellen O’Connell, editors. Washington, D.C.

Minnesota's smoking ban remains popular

2009-02-04T08:55:00.000-06:00

This info was broadcast on the Wisconsin Radio Network on Tuesday Feb 3. We are getting closer and closer to a smoke-free State!--emily

By Bob Hague
As Wisconsin lawmakers again prepare to grapple with the contentious issue of a statewide smoking ban, Minnesota's ban has been in place for nearly a year and a half.
Mike McGuire with the Minnesota chapter of the American Cancer Society says that state's Freedom to Breathe Act has been in place since October of 2007, and about 76% of state residents liked the law when it went into effect. Not that there hasn't been opposition. "We've seen a couple of amendments introduced to try to weaken the law," says McGuire. "Those amendments haven't really gone anywhere. There is a small but committed band of opponents who continue to advocate the repeal of the law."
McGuire says much of the opposition to a statewide ban in Wisconsin has a familiar ring. "Whether it's a local level ordinance or a statewide ordinance, there's always the prediction that the sky is going to fall," he says.
McGuire's advice to ban proponents in Wisconsin is to keep the focus on the health of workers who are being subjected to second hand smoke. Governor Jim Doyle once again called for a statewide ban, in his state of the state address.

"U.S. Senate Acts to Protect Kids, Save Lives by Increasing Federal Tobacco Taxes"

2009-02-04T08:48:00.000-06:00

Statement of Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Senate today delivered a tremendous victory for children’s health by voting to increase federal tobacco taxes, including a 61-cent increase in the cigarette tax, to fund reauthorization and expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). This legislation will create a healthier future for millions of children both by reducing tobacco use – the number one cause of preventable death in America – and by expanding health care coverage for kids. We look forward to final enactment of this legislation by Congress and its signature into law by President Obama.

Increasing tobacco taxes is a proven strategy to reduce smoking and other tobacco use, especially among children. Studies show that every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes reduces youth smoking by seven percent and overall cigarette consumption by about four percent. A 61-cent increase in the federal cigarette tax will prevent nearly two million kids from starting to smoke, help more than one million adult smokers quit, prevent nearly 900,000 smoking-caused deaths and produce $44 billion in long-term health care savings by reducing tobacco-caused health care costs.

To maximize the health benefits from the tobacco tax increase, we urge the Congress to adopt the Senate bill’s approach to taxing so-called "little cigars," which are the same size as cigarettes but have a brown wrapper. The Senate bill would immediately increase the tax on little cigars to $1 per pack, the same rate as for cigarettes, while the House bill would phase in the increase over six years. Allowing a disparity in tax rates would create an incentive for some cigarettes to continue to evade taxes by masquerading as little cigars and make these products more appealing to kids because of the lower prices.

Higher tobacco taxes are a win-win-win solution for the country – a health win that will reduce tobacco use and save lives, a financial win that will raise revenue to help fund the SCHIP program and reduce tobacco-caused health care costs, and a political win that is popular with voters. Polling conducted for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids found that more than two-thirds of all voters support a significant increase in the federal cigarette tax to provide health care coverage to uninsured children. This support is evident among virtually every political and demographic subgroup of voters across the country, with large majorities of Democrats, Republicans and Independents, men and women, and urban and rural voters supporting the cigarette tax to fund children’s health care.

Tobacco use kills more than 400,000 people in the United States and costs the nation more than $96 billion in health care bills each year. Currently, 20 percent of high school students smoke and more than 1,000 kids become new regular smokers every day.

We urge Congress to finalize this important legislation without delay. It will expand health care coverage for America’s children while helping to reduce tobacco use and save lives.

More information:

Fact sheet: Benefits from a 61-cent federal cigarette tax increase: www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0314.pdf

Other fact sheets on federal tobacco taxes:
www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/index.php?CategoryID=11

New Legislation to be Introduced to Combat Drunk Driving

2009-02-02T11:22:00.000-06:00

Madison, WI – Recognizing that solving the problem of drunk driving in Wisconsin is going to take a multifaceted, commonsense legislative approach, Senators Jim Sullivan (D-Wauwatosa), Jeff Plale (D-South Milwaukee), and John Lehman (D-Racine) today announced a comprehensive proposal that targets drunk drivers on numerous fronts in order to protect Wisconsin citizens.

"Drinking and driving is a crime that causes damage and destroys lives, and it’s a problem that won’t go away without an aggressive legislative intervention," said Sullivan.

"For the sake of your safety, we must pass tougher sanctions for repeat drunk drivers, expand treatment options, and increase the use of ignition interlock devices before any more lives are lost." Under the proposal, thousands of repeat offenders would be in jail or prison instead of behind the wheel.

The legislation promotes prevention and includes statewide expansion of the successful Winnebago County "Safe Streets" pilot program, which directs some offenders into alcohol treatment programs. The proposal also expands the use of Ignition Interlock Devices (IID), one of the tools that government has to prevent drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel."Far too many repeat drunk drivers are getting behind the wheel and endangering Wisconsin lives. This bill targets these repeat drunk drivers by making most third offenses and all fourth offenses felonies and by improving the IID program in our state," said Plale.

"It also gives our justice system new and improved tools to protect Wisconsin families." "There is broad agreement on the importance of revisiting our laws on drinking and driving. This bill takes a comprehensive approach to meet our shared goal of making Wisconsin roadways safer and provides a good means to enact needed changes," said Lehman.

The proposed legislation would:

Make the third OWI offense within five years a felony
Make all fourth OWI offenses a felony
Close the 1st offense 08 fine loophole
Expand Winnebago County’s successful "Safe Street" pilot program
Require the Judicial Council to develop statewide sentencing guidelines for OWI offenses
Mandate Ignition Interlock Devices (IIDs) or immobilization if second OWI offense is .16 or above and for all third offenses
Prohibit IID contractors from cancelling an IID contract without an order from the court and provides penalties

Last session, Senator Sullivan successfully passed legislation that provided incremental penalties for drunk drivers. This package further strengthens the tools and options available to Wisconsin’s law enforcement and court systems.

2009-01-14T12:49:00.000-06:00

Winnebago County Illegal Tobacco Sales More Than Double Over Last Year
More must be done to ensure continued funding to reduce sales to minors.

Winnebago County- The Winnebago County Tobacco Free Coalition, in partnership with the Wisconsin Wins (WI WINS) program, completed their 2008 tobacco compliance checks on local tobacco retailers with some discouraging results. In 2008, Winnebago County’s non-compliance rate of illegal sales to minors rose drastically to nearly 23% (62 sales of 271 completed checks). In 2007, the non-compliance rate for Winnebago County was around 10%. This news comes on the heels of the State struggling with possibly having to cut some grant funded programs, including the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program to meet the current biennial budget deficit.
The WI Wins tobacco compliance check program is funded through the WI Department of Health Services. Grant dollars are then distributed to local tobacco coalitions to help prevent youth from using tobacco. One way to reduce access to tobacco is by making tobacco products difficult to get and when it’s hard to get, they use less. Compliance checks are a proven method used to make sure retailers are not selling tobacco products to minors. However, if funding for the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program gets cut, important programs like these will suffer.
In 2005, Winnebago County had one of the highest non-compliance rates in the state with a staggering 28% (91 of 327 establishments) selling tobacco to minors. Winnebago County Tobacco Free Coalition Coordinator and Health Educator, Emily Dieringer states, "We’ve seen significant progress in just a few years, thanks in part to having the resources available and partnerships with local law enforcement to get the word out about not selling tobacco to minors." All seven Winnebago County Law enforcement agencies issue citations to clerks or license holders who sell tobacco to minors. (Citations rates range from $109 up to $298.) "But I’m afraid if program funding gets cut, we won’t have the resources available to reduce that non-compliance rate that rose so sharply this year, which means, it will be easier for kids to get tobacco products in Winnebago County."
On average, Wisconsin has seen a steady decline in non-compliance rates since the program’s inception in 2001. The CDC recommends a comprehensive tobacco control program that combines vigorous enforcement, political support from the State government, and a climate of active social norms that discourage youth tobacco use (http://prevention.samhsa.gov/tobacco/). States that have the lowest non-compliance rates of illegal tobacco sales to minors, like Wisconsin, also have a comprehensive tobacco control program. "If funding of the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program is cut, increased sales to minors and more youths using tobacco is a real possibility," Dieringer adds.

Deadly in Pink

2008-11-24T10:20:00.000-06:00

On the heels of RJR’s successful Camel No. 9 launch last year, Philip Morris has just introduced new packaging for its iconic brand, Virginia Slims. These "purse packs" are like no other packs on the U.S. market. They are shaped like cosmetics boxes and hold "super slim" cigarettes that are very small in diameter -- there are 20 cigarettes in a pack that is half the width of a regular pack. And of course the new purse packs come in new colors: pink and teal. (Sound familiar?) The hip packaging and tiny cigarettes make it clear at whom this product is aimed: young women and girls.

Philip Morris plans to launch these repackaged Virginia Slims with a major marketing campaign by the first quarter of 2009 and these new "purse packs" are already on sale in many markets. You can probably find them in your community. We can expect to see heavy promotion at point-of-sale and in other ways, including events.

You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby: Six years after the introduction of Virginia Slims in 1968, the smoking initiation rate for 12 year old girls had increased 110%. Now, in large part to that kind of targeted marketing, 155,000 women in the U.S. die every year from diseases caused by smoking and those diseases result in $34.7 billion in annual health care costs. Data released this month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that women are more likely than men to die from COPD, in spite of having lower smoking and overall death rates. Lung cancer is the only form of cancer among women that is on the rise and it is the leading cancer killer of women, "outkilling" breast and all genital cancers, combined. Smoking causes heart disease – the # 1 killer of women, many forms of cancer, respiratory illnesses such as emphysema, low birth weight, reduced fertility, early menopause, osteoporosis and the list goes on.

Find Your Voice: The Camel No. 9 marketing unleashed a furor of activities against the extensive and lavish marketing of that brand. We need to harness that energy and strike back again to counter Philip Morris’ blatant attempt to addict a new generation of women.

Here are some things that you can do to end this appalling marketing ploy:

Find out it the purse packs are available in your community and document the point of sale marketing (likely to start late this year and early next year) by taking pictures and/or noting where and when the marketing is taking place. It is powerful to show how pervasive the marketing is when educating the public and policy makers.
Use your documentation when you do outreach in your community or state to the public, media and policy makers. You can also use it to recruit new partners, particularly groups that work with women and girls, to tobacco control.

Actively support measures that are proven to reduce youth smoking rates, such as increased excise taxes. The more cigarettes cost, the less likely young people are to use them.

Actively support passage of legislation to give FDA the authority to regulate tobacco. At a minimum, this would eliminate the use of the "light" descriptor, reduce any point-of-sale marketing to black and white, and cover 30% of the pack with a large warning label, marring the sleek look designed to lure young women.

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids would love to see your documentation of the marketing – it will help us make the case in Washington that the tobacco industry must be reined in. Please send your documentation to Victoria Almquist at valmquist@tobaccofreekids.org.

Oshkosh Northwestern Editor Supports Statewide Smoke-Free Air

2008-11-17T13:11:00.000-06:00

On November 13, the Oshkosh Northwestern printed an article about business-owners worries about a statewide smoke-free air law that could be passes in 2009. Alex Hummel, editor for the Northwestern, also commented on the issue on November 13:

TIME FOR STATE TO LEGISLATE SMOKING BAN
"Plain and simple, the time has come to enact an indoor smoking ban in Wisconsin. It's a public health matter that, left to individual communities to legislate, has created a counterproductive patchwork of bans around the state. Here, things have gotten tacky. The Fox Valley has become the model argument for a statewide ban, with Oshkosh, like Wisconsin, now the odd one out among the region's larger communities.

In 2004, Oshkosh voters endorsed a restaurant smoking ban: No smoking in places where food isthe dominant revenue generator. That was followed by Appleton's 2005 decision to ban smoking in all businesses, a citywide indoor ban including taverns. Last month, the city of Fond du Lac enacted its own citywide indoor smoking ban. So, the first to approve legislation in the region now has the least-stringent version on the books. Smoking law, in the north-to-south span of Lake Winnebago, is a hodge-podge of policy and rules.

Not only is a statewide ban politically inevitable, it is increasingly accepted by everyday residents. In early 2007, a statewide poll conducted by a team of firms found 64 percent of respondents to a random phone survey in favor of a statewide indoor smoking ban; 34 percent opposed it. In April, another poll found 69 percent support statewide. But let's not let facts get in the way.

Furthermore, Wisconsin is its own island, surrounded by Illinois' and Minnesota's statewide indoor smoking bans. Attempts to propose and approve a statewide ban here in the last year or two haven't cleared final hurdles, given our split legislature. But, now, with Democratic control of both houses of our state legislature, odds are a statewide smoking ban has a clear shot to passage.

So, let's get it done, take a healthy step forward and confront on the rest of the problems that confront Wisconsin. A prolonged debate on the inevitable is guaranteed to distract Wisconsin from what is now feared to be a $5 billion deficit and long-neglected reforms within education, corrections and general government.

Ultimately, Wisconsin would ban smoking indoors, not tobacco products, not smoking altogether. Lighting up outdoors, in your car or in your home will continue to be your call and, unfortunately, our collective burden."

Thank you Mr. Hummel for supporting this important health issue and taking a public stand!
If you'd like to thank Alex, his email is: ahummel@thenorthwestern.com

Update on WI WINS Compliance Checks

2008-10-31T04:38:00.000-05:00

Winnebago County Illegal Tobacco Sales Nearly Triple

(Winnebago County)- The Winnebago County Tobacco Free Coalition, in partnership with the Wisconsin Wins (WI WINS) program and local law enforcement agencies completed their first round of tobacco compliance checks. So far this year, Winnebago County has a non-compliance rate of 27%, with 41 of 151 retailers selling tobacco illegally to minors. In 2007, Winnebago County had a non-compliance rate of 10% non-compliance (32 sales of 302 attempts).

Emily Dieringer, Winnebago County Tobacco Free Coalition Coordinator and Health Educator, states, "It’s very disturbing to see that in Winnebago County it is way too easy for youth to access tobacco products. More education on the laws and how to properly check a driver’s license is needed." During the remainder of the year, the Coalition will strengthen its efforts to educate retailers and their in hopes to increase the number of businesses that deny the sale of tobacco to minors.

Some municipalities have a very low number of sales:

Winneconne, 0 of 7 (0%)
Omro 1 of 6 (16%)
Menasha 2 of 15 (13%)
Town of Menasha, 2 of 17 (12%).

Other areas have a higher number of sales: Oshkosh, 15 of 45 (33%), Neenah 8 of 29 (28%) and Winnebago County towns, 13 of 38 (34%).The WI WINS program’s main focus is on those retailers who do the right thing by not selling tobacco to minors. "We want to recognize the 73% of retailers who don’t sell tobacco to minors and we do so when after completing each check with a thank you note and reward," Dieringer adds.

WI WINS is a proven tobacco prevention and control effort sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to reduce illegal sales and access to tobacco by minors. Each year WI WINS conducts compliance checks throughout the state in efforts to reduce illegal tobacco sales to minors and prevent youth tobacco use. The program utilizes trained 15-17 year-olds under adult supervision to attempt to purchase tobacco from local tobacco retailers. On average, the state has seen a steady decline in non-compliance rates since the program’s inception in 2001.For more information visit http://www.wiwins.com/.

DFC Press Release

2008-10-30T11:31:00.000-05:00

Winnebago County’s Health Department Earns More than $600,000 to Fight Youth Substance Abuse

(Oshkosh, WI) – The Winnebago County Health Department has been awarded a grant of up to $625,000 by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Public Health Director and Health Officer Doug Gieryn announced October 8, 2008.

The Drug Free Communities Grant program awards up to $625,000 over five years to community organizations that to work to help keep youth from using illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco. The grant period began October 1. Winnebago County will receive up to $125,000 per year for the next five years.

"It’s not enough to tell our kids and teenagers not to use drugs," Gieryn said. "We need to help them understand why they should stay away from these substances. This grant will help us continue to reach that goal."

Communities with a Drug Free Communities program have proven that their efforts are effective in preventing substance use and abuse among teens when compared with national rates, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy. The grant will support the Winnebago County Drug Free Coalition and expand its efforts in reducing tobacco use and combating alcohol, prescription drug and other substance abuse.

"We encourage parents, youth and area community leaders and organizations to join and become actively involved in the Coalition’s activities to help protect families from the harms of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs," said Emily Dieringer, interim Winnebago County DFC Coordinator.
Winnebago County is actively recruiting to hire a grant coordinator to oversee the Drug Free Coalition’s activities.

The Drug Free Communities Program, created under the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997, provides grants to communities to help increase public participation in local antidrug efforts.
To learn more, contact the Winnebago County Health Department at (920) 232-3000.

Senate and Assembly Candidates Show Support for Smoke-Free Workplaces

2008-10-21T15:06:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday, October 14, at UW Oshkosh’s Reeve Memorial Union nine area candidates were invited to share their views with the public on three "hot button" health-related issues. Guest speakers provided an informative educational session for the candidates and the public before the candidates gave their comments. Karen Aspenson, UWO Social Work Professor, spoke on the urgent need for Mental Health Parity. Bill Smith, State Director for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), spoke on the complexity of Universal Health Care. Maureen Busalacchi, Director of SmokeFree Wisconsin, spoke on the importance of Smoke Free Air. The event was moderated by Jerry Burke (formerly with WBAY).

Candidates in attendance included John Townsend (R) Assembly District 52, Dick Spanbauer (R) and Jeff Mann (D) Assembly District 53, Mark Reiff (R) and Gordon Hintz (D) Assembly District 54, Dean Kaufert (R) and Mark Westphal (D) Assembly District 55, and Susan Garcia Franz (D) Assembly District 56. Senate District 18 candidate Jess King (D) sent a representative from her campaign as she could not attend due to the Oshkosh City Council meeting.

Each candidate was given one minute to respond to each topic after the educational session. Specifically on the issue of Smoke Free Air, candidates were asked if they would support a 100% comprehensive state-wide smoke-free workplace law that includes bars and restaurants. Townsend and Kaufert want to represent what a majority of their constituents want, so they both support such a state-wide law. Hintz, Garcia Franz and King would support such a state-wide law specifically noting the health effects of second hand smoke and the cost to treat tobacco-related diseases. Reiff does not support any state-wide smoke-free law explaining that it is a property rights issue and businesses should make that decision. Mann and Westphal would support a state-wide law if there were certain exceptions for taverns (Mann would not support a 100% comprehensive workplace bill as it stands now). Spanbauer, although torn, would want equal treatment for all workplaces and would support a state-wide law.

The forum was attended by over 100 potential voters living in Winnebago and Fond du Lac counties. It was sponsored by Winnebago County Public Health, the Fond du Lac County Health Department, the Winnebago County Tobacco Free Coalition, the Fond du Lac County Tobacco Control Coalition, UWO Student Social Work Association, Oshkosh Student Nursing Association, the UWO Kinesiology Club and the UWO HPER Club.

Thank you to all those who attended and to those who helped make the event a success.

How do Winnebago and Fond du Lac Counties MEASURE UP?

2008-10-14T10:19:00.000-05:00

REMINDER:
Current Issues on Health: Candidate Forum is TUESDAY OCTOBER 14 from 5:30-7:00pm at Reeve Union, UW Oshkosh. Hope to see you there. Details from the event will be posted soon!

Drug Free Communities Grant update

2008-09-09T09:10:00.000-05:00

As many of you may know by now, the Winnebago County Health Department received word that we've been awarded a new grant to form a Drug Free Communities Coalition. We won't receive our "official letter" probably until the end of September but the website below lists us as a new grantee for 2008. This is a wonderful opportunity for our county and will be a great addition to our Tobacco Free Coalitions work. I will hopefully post some of the details of the grant before our meeting on September 16.

Check it out!

http://www.ondcp.gov/dfc/