Tobacco & Vapor Product Prevention & Control

SHSSHA (1)

Additional Resources:

Secondhand smoke and vaping aerosol prevention information for providers and links to resources: click here to view PDF. 

WA State Department of Health--Smoking/Vaping & Coronavirus (COVID-19) Give your lungs a fighting chance

Knowtherisks

Promoting healthy people and healthy communities through effective cessation efforts, and preventing tobacco use, nicotine addiction and exposure to secondhand smoke.

Tobacco use is the number 1 cause of preventable death in the U.S., with 440,000 deaths per year attributed to smoking. Nearly 1 of every 5 deaths is related to smoking, more than alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide, and illegal drugs combined.

knowrisks
vaping1

Vaping

Vaping devices, which include e-cigarettes, vape pens, mechanical modified nicotine delivery systems or MODS, and electronic hookahs, typically deliver nicotine, flavorings, and other additives to the user through an inhaled aerosol. The use of vaping devices is on the rise, especially among youth and young adults. Commonly perceived as a healthier or safer than traditional cigarettes, there are unique health risks associated with vaping devices and research is currently being performed to look at the potential long-term effects of vaping device use.

ecigarettes

Hallazgos sobre el impacto de los cigarrillos electrónicos en la salud (PDF)

FREE Quit Program: SmokefreeTXT

texting-landing-phone

The changing landscape of tobacco products requires continued and strategic efforts to promote tobacco cessation and prevent youth from starting to use tobacco, vaping and nicotine products. Tobacco prevention activities at Jefferson County Public Health utilize a policy, systems, and environmental approach in its efforts and works with many community partners to accomplish its work.

This program is funded by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Washington State Department of Health and local fund.

smokefreegov Opens in new window

Laws, Regulations and Policies

Jefferson County Public Health enforces local ordinance pertaining to where people can smoke.

Selling tobacco and Vapor products

  • Report a violation if you witness retailers selling tobacco or vapor products to underage children
CDC Smoking and Tobacco

Tobacco and Vapor Laws

VAPOR PRODUCT LAWS: RCW 70.345

In 2016, the Washington State Legislature passed a vapor product law that requires vapor product licenses for retailers, distributors and delivery sellers. The law bans open displays and includes tasting and couponing restrictions, as well as requirements for child-resistant packaging and labeling. The law regulates all vapor products, whether or not they contain nicotine and is intended to provide Washingtonians with consumer protection, child safety, and eliminating youth access. The law does allow for vaping to occur indoors within vaping retail establishments.

Information on RCW 70.345 is available on the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board website.

FDA REGULATIONS

The Food & Drug Administration’s 2009 Tobacco Control Act regulates the manufacture, distribution and marketing of tobacco products. In 2016, US Food and Drug Administration began prohibiting free samples of vapor products containing nicotine and all tobacco products. The FDA has also extended its regulation to cigars, hookah tobacco, and pipe tobacco. This sampling ban applies to all products that contain tobacco or nicotine.

Washington State House Bill 1873, a tax on vape products. House Bill 1873 imposes a tax of 9 cents per milliliter of solution on products in an "accessible container”; and a tax on all other vapor products of 27 cents per milliliter of solution. In addition, the bill directs all revenues from the tax on vapor products must be divided evenly between the Foundational Public Health Services Account and the Andy Hill Cancer Research Endowment Fund Match Transfer Account. A reduction in tax is provided for certain products issued a modified risk tobacco order. In addition, the bill repeals the expiration date on the Andy Hill Cancer Research Endowment Fund Match Transfer Account, and removes the limit on the state contribution to the Andy Hill Cancer Research Endowment Fund Match Transfer Account. The bill originally passed off the House floor on April 26th, just two days before Sine Die, with a vote of 58-38. It then passed off the Senate floor with a vote of 35-13. The House concurred on the Senate amendments with a vote of 56-42.

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FDA tobacco law)

On June 22, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, giving the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) comprehensive authority to regulate the manufacturing, marketing, and sale of tobacco products.

Smoking in public places, Washington state RCW 70.160: 
Since 2005 RCW 70.16 has protected employees, visitors, patrons and others from second hand smoke by prohibiting smoking in public places and workplaces and requires that smoking occur a minimum reasonable distance of 25 feet from entrances, exits, windows and air intakes to insure that smoke does not enter into buildings.

Owners and persons in charge are responsible for ensuring no employees, clients or patrons are smoking indoors or within 25 feet of any door, exit, window that opens or ventilation intake. Owners must also post “No Smoking Signs” on all entrances to the business.

Information for businesses:

Ready to Quit?

Quitting tobacco is an individual choice and there isn’t one right way. What works best is what works for you! When you are ready to quit, there are many resources that can help.

smokefreewoman

Quitline_logo_9.06

There are many ways to quit tobacco and a wide range of resources to help. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), in combination with counseling support, are the best way to quit tobacco.

Some people can quit tobacco by using resources like counseling, group support, or even cold turkey, but depending on how addicted a person is to nicotine, they may benefit from using a patch or gum to quit (nicotine replacement therapy) or medication. Research says that the best way to quit tobacco is to use a combination of NRT and counseling.

·        Make an appointment to talk to your doctor about quitting tobacco.

·        List of Tobacco/ vaping Cessation Resources

TobaccoFreeKids


Teens Against Tobacco Use


This group offered tobacco prevention presentations to all the 4th grade and 8th grade science classrooms in Blue Heron Middle school.

These dedicated peer educators have organized TATU presentations for their PTHS senior projects.

Port Townsend High School T.A.T.U.

Group of Port Townsend High students who are the 2012 peer educators for Teens Against Tobacco Use.
Port Townsend High School (PTHS) students (left to right): Abbey Noeldechen, Amber Garner, Ashely Goodrich, and Brittani Mellard are the 2012 peer educators for Teens Against Tobacco Use (TATU).