Advocacy Project: Healthy People 2010/THOMAS

Healthy People 2010 Goal 27: Tobacco Use

• Goal: Reduce illness, disability, and death related to tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke.
• Objective 27-11: increase smoke-free and tobacco-free environments in schools, including all school facilitates, property, vehicles, and school events.

Baseline: 37% of middle, junior, and senior high schools were smoke-free and tobacco-free in 1994.  

Target: 100%

According to the Progress Quotient Chart, the nation has moved 13% towards the target goal of 100% of schools being smoke-free and tobacco-free.  The following image shows how the 13% was calculated:

Progress: In 2000, 45% of schools reported smoke-free and tobacco-free policies, which is up from 37% in 1994 but less than the target (100%).  In addition, 45.5% of school districts and 13 states reported having such policies. Unfortunately, in 2006 Minnesota was not on the list. (According to the School Health policies and Programs Study)

Disparities: The disparities for Goal 27 were illustrated in three tables.

1. Race and Ethnicity
2. Gender and Education
3. Income and Disability
   

Objective 27-11 was not addressed in any of these tables because they refer to the population and not to an organization such as a school.  At this point, I am unable to find data that addresses if there are any school districts who fail to have smoke-free and tobacco-free policies based on disparities. 

Opportunities & Challenges: Public health efforts are partially being offset by several factors that encourage smoking, such as lack of indoor air regulations, discounted tobacco prices, advertising and promotions by the tobacco industry, and smoking scenes in movies.
The loss of funding for State tobacco prevention programs and national countermarketing campains may be another factor that slows or reverses the effects of the positive trends.

Emerging issues: There are numerous emerging issues regarding tobacco use.  There are three that specifically apply to school-aged youth:

1. Smokeless tobacco use
2. Internet sale of tobacco products: internet vendors have weak or nonexistent age verification mechanisms, potentially allowing underage youth to access tobacco products. 
3. Youth access to tobacco: access to retail sources have declined, but access through other sources such and friends and family has increased. 

Currently, school tobacco-free and smoke-free policies are implemented at the state level.   According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention School Health Policies and Program Study (SHPPS), Minnesota has already adopted a complete smoke-free and tobacco-free public school system policy.  This means that Minnesota prohibits tobacco use by it's students, faculty and staff and school visitors in all locations, and prohibits tobacco advertisements in school environments, through sponsorship of school events, and on apparel worn or merchandise carried by students. Since Minnesota already has this policy in place, I decided to do a national level search for any legislation regarding tobacco-free and smoke-free schools.  The following bill is the most current advancements made at a national level. 

S.579 Federal Tobacco Act of 2009 (Introduced in Senate)

• Title: A bill to establish a comprehensive Federal tobacco product regulatory program, to create a Tobacco Regulatory Agency, to prevent use of tobacco products by youth, and to provide protections for adult tobacco product users through the regulation of the tobacco products manufacturing industry.
• Sponsor: Senator Burr, Richard [NC] (introduced 3/12/2009) 
• Cosponsors: Senator Hagen, Kay [NC]
• Latest Major Action: 3/12/2009 Referred to Senate committe. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
• My Political Representative(s): Senator Amy Klobuchar

As a concerned citizen, the actions I recommend take place would be to support the American Lung Association's tobacco-free schools model school smoking policy. The American Lung Association is valued in the United States, and their recommendations are supported by research.  I believe there are two ways to make a difference: 

1. By writing letters to our US senators. Senator Amy Klobuchar would be the political representative that I would contact to share my opinion with and ask her to vote yes to S.579 Federal Tobacco Act of 2009.
2. By supporting The American Lung Association in any project they sponsor or put on regarding smoke free schools. Support can be in the form of advocacy, financial contributions, or volunteerism.  

By taking the above actions, I believe we will be able to meet the Healthy People 2010 national health objective of having 100% smoke-free and tobacco-free schools.