TOBACCO FREE YORK COUNTY
Clearing the air for better health
717-851-5805
In December 2019, a new law was passed in the United States, known as "Tobacco 21, that increased the legal age to 21 years old to purchase and use every tobacco product across America. That includes cigarettes, chewing tobacco (also known as smokeless tobacco) every vape product, electronic cigarettes, (also known as E.N.D.S electronic nicotine delivery systems), cigars, and all products that contain nicotine and are created by tobacco companies. It is now illegal for all retailers to sell any tobacco product to anyone under 21 years old.
Check out these resources to learn more:
THE STATS
Nearly 95% of cigarette smokers try their first cigarette before the age 21.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
32.3% of Pennsylvania high school students use tobacco or nicotine products.
State of Tobacco Control, 2018
244,000 kids under age 18 in Pennsylvania will ultimately die prematurely from smoking if current rates don't change.
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids
40.8% of Pennsylvania high school students have used an e-cigarette at least once, and 24.1% of high school students currently use e-cigarettes.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
RESOURCES
Community resources
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Tobacco Free York County Coalition www.tobaccofreeyork.com
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WellSpan Health Tobacco Cessation classes for free to help people quit smoking group classes and individual classes are available call (717) 851-5805 to find a program
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UPMC Tobacco Cessation classes for free to help people quit smoking group classes and individual classes are available call (717) 316-7894 Hanover, PA or (717) 849-5463 in York, PA
Inspiation resources
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Be a role model in your school and community, choose not to use tobacco products.
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Request a speaker or resources from the local Tobacco Free York County Coalition to create an information table, bulletin board or announcements in your school to help students remain tobacco free.
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Create an information table in the entrance of your school or during lunch to share information about the effects of vaping.
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Create a tobacco prevention video for younger youth in your district and work with a teacher to get credit for providing a prevention project to help students remain tobacco free in your community.
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Hand out pencils or other school items to students with a tobacco prevention message
21 REASONS WHY
TFYC members traveled around York County to capture reasons why parents, educators, health care providers and community members support raising the legal age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21.
Locations depicted in these images do not necessarily support Tobacco 21. The viewpoints are those of TFYC members and community members.
Pam Miller
TFYC Member
Working with adults every day that started using tobacco at a very young age, I would love to think that we can save lives and help prevent a lifelong Tobacco addiction. A piece of my heart breaks EVERY single time I hear someone say “ I wish I would of never picked up that first cigarette as a teenager.”